West Coventry Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and are proud to show off their new school building. Despite the challenges of getting used to new routines, social times are calm and orderly. Pupils behave well in lessons.

Pupils say they feel safe in school and are confident that the school will deal with any concerns.

The school has high expectations for all pupils. Leaders and staff take every opportunity to ensure pupils understand the school's '4R' values.

Pupils are taught to be respectful, responsible, resilient and ready to learn. The school works closely with parents and carers to ensure that they understand the school's values and know how to help their children succeed.
<...br/>Teachers have good subject knowledge and explain new ideas clearly.

This helps pupils to understand the curriculum and make good progress in their learning.

Students in the sixth form are an asset to the school. They are excellent role models for younger pupils, clearly demonstrating the school's values.

They volunteer to lead fundraising activities and act as tutors in their specialist subjects to younger pupils.

The school provides a wide range of opportunities to nurture and stretch pupils' talents and interests. Pupils appreciate these and make good use of them.

Sporting activities are the most popular.

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

Since the last inspection, the new headteacher has rapidly built confidence among staff and pupils for her inclusive, ambitious vision. School leaders work closely with the trust to build a strong training programme for staff to help them improve outcomes for pupils.

Pupils study the full range of national curriculum subjects. At key stage 4, the school continues to explore ways to increase the number of pupils studying languages. In most subjects, the curriculum is now well designed to build pupils' knowledge and understanding.

In some subjects, a weaker curriculum in previous years and difficulties with staffing have left pupils with gaps in their knowledge. It is not always clear how teachers intend to address these gaps in their planned curriculum. However, in the sixth form, teachers take the time at the start of courses to ensure that pupils have a secure understanding of the necessary knowledge from key stage 4.

Expectations are high in lessons and pupils respond well when teachers set challenging tasks. Pupils are very attentive, and fully engaged in lessons.

In lessons, teachers choose examples and questions that help pupils to understand their work.

There is a strong emphasis on making sure pupils understand key words. Teachers use a number of strategies to help pupils to remember key learning points. However, there are some pupils who do not recall their earlier work.

This makes it more difficult for them to make sense of new learning.The school has clear plans in place for the improvement of pupils' reading. Pupils read regularly in form time.

Weaker readers are identified, and receive additional support from the librarian.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported in the classroom. Their progress is carefully monitored.

Pupils have a say in how they can improve their learning. This helps them become increasingly independent in their learning.

Leaders know that pupils in key stage 4 do not yet make the progress expected in external examinations, because of the gaps in their learning from previous years.

However, working closely with the trust, leaders are relentless in putting in place improvements to help pupils learn better. Outcomes are improving. Pupils in the sixth form have experienced less disruption to their learning and do well in their external examinations.

Pupils are taught explicitly what good behaviour looks like, so that they have a clear understanding of how they should behave. Pupils know how their actions impact on others. Parents are fully involved in the behaviour process and work with the school to improve outcomes.

The school carefully tracks pupils' attendance. A broad range of interventions are in place to help pupils improve their attendance. New staff have been appointed to work more closely with families.

However, despite small improvements this term, the attendance of pupils in key stages 3 and 4, particularly disadvantaged pupils, remains low. Pupils in the sixth form attend regularly.

Pupils appreciate the way in which sensitive and important issues are presented in their personal development lessons.

The school helps them to understand the views of others and to respect difference. Pupils benefit from a rich range of careers events, including visits to employers, colleges and universities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, do not attend school regularly enough. This impacts negatively on their learning. The school should explore alternative strategies to improve attendance for all pupils.

• In some subjects, the planned curriculum has not taken full account of the significant gaps in learning that some pupils have experienced. This means that, sometimes, pupils are not ready for the next steps in their learning. The school should review the curriculum to ensure gaps in pupils' earlier learning are systematically addressed.

• In some lessons, pupils struggle to recall key information from earlier learning. This means they lack the knowledge and skills they need to build on their learning and do well in external examinations. The school should ensure that teachers provide strategies that help pupils remember lesson content over the long term.