Welland Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Welland Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The principal of this school is Joanna Anderson.

This school is part of Greenwood Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Wayne Norrie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christine Hall.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy and value learning.

They work hard in lessons and show determination. Pupils ask interesting questions and speak articulately about what they are learning. Children in early years delight in ex...ploring the learning activities the school provides.

They sustain concentration and attentively listen to others during class discussions.

Pupils thrive in the school's positive ethos. They encourage and support their peers when they find something tricky to learn.

Pupils take pride in their achievements and celebrate the success of others. They achieve the high curriculum goals the school sets. By the end of Year 6, pupils are ready for their next steps in education.

Pupils have fun learning and playing together and forge strong relationships. On the playground, pupils thrive because of the high-quality opportunities the school provides. For example, during playtime pupils learn how to ride bicycles, take part in a range of sports, and build dens.

Older pupils capably take up the responsibility of showing younger pupils how to play with kindness and concern for others. At lunch, pupils are polite, show good manners and tidy up after themselves. When friends fall out with each other, pupils are well equipped by the school to find positive solutions.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Last academic year, the school started to refine elements of the curriculum to enable pupils to remember more knowledge in the long term. These alterations are having a positive impact. The curriculum ensures that pupils learn in a logical order and routinely review what has been taught.

Following the school's clearly defined approaches, teachers teach the curriculum effectively. They check what pupils know and understand and provide timely support when concerns arise. Pupils understand and remember much of what the school intends.

Starting in early years, the school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Working with external specialists, the school provides staff with guidance about what these pupils need and how best to support them. Staff use the school's guidance to provide learning activities that generally enable pupils with SEND to learn well.

At times, however, some of these tasks are not as effective as they could be. As a result, occasionally pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could.

When children join the school in early years, they immediately start learning the basics of early reading.

Children enjoy the stories staff read to them. They quickly learn to enjoy the challenge of reading independently. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils learn how to read fluently.

The school provides effective support for pupils that find reading difficult so that they become fluent readers.

Pupils understand and live up to the school's expectations of their behaviour. They enjoy the awards and public praise they get when the school recognises their good conduct.

For example, pupils proudly receive the 'Golden Welly' in assembly. The school provides strong support for pupils that find it difficult to regulate their behaviour. The school ensures these pupils learn how to manage their emotions and maintain positive behaviour even when cross or frustrated.

Pupils attend school regularly because they enjoy learning and are well supported to succeed at school. The school provides effective support for pupils that find it difficult to maintain regular attendance.

The school prepares pupils well for life after primary school.

Pupils benefit from the many opportunities to develop their own talents and interests. For example, all pupils learn to play a musical instrument. To enrich pupils' understanding of the curriculum, the school has a well-planned calendar of educational visits to places of local, national and international interest.

Pupils learn about the diverse lifestyles and beliefs in modern society. They show interest in and respect for other cultures and worldviews. They speak articulately about people in history who worked for the rights of oppressed people.

Pupils also investigate important issues faced by young adults. Pupils learn how to maintain positive mental and physical health.

Leaders, with strong support from the trust, have galvanised staff with common values and vision for the school.

Overall, staff feel well supported to maintain a reasonable workload.

The school is committed to listening to parents and carers. They secure parents' views about the quality of provision and try to address any concerns that arise.

Trustees are well informed about the quality of the school's provision. Trust leaders provide effective support and challenge for school leaders to secure any necessary improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Occasionally, learning tasks for pupils with SEND are not matched closely enough to their needs. As a result, these pupils sometimes do not understand or remember what they have been taught. The school needs to better support teachers to ensure they provide learning activities that consistently meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2019.

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