West Vale Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This comment, written by a West Vale parent, is typical of many parents' and carers' comments: 'West Vale has come a long, long way.

I think as a school they have made massive progress.' Inspectors agree.

Trustees and governors have taken effective action to ensure a rapid pace of school improvement.

The interim principal, appointed by the trustees, is leading an effective senior leadership team. Pupils are making good progress and achieving well. Governors are already working with the incoming principal to ensure that this improvement momentum is sustained seamlessly from September onwards.

Most pupils behave very well. A handful does not. Although ...pupils' behaviour overall is improving quickly, it is not as good as it should be.

Since taking up post, interim leaders have taken steps to improve pupils' behaviour. Their actions are working.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive in school.

Leaders have trained staff to help them identify pupils' additional needs accurately. Leaders make sure that all adults know how to meet each individual pupil's needs well.

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

Children are getting off to a flying start in West Vale's Reception Year.

Early reading and mathematics subject leaders have given careful thought to the individual needs of children. For example, some children start at West Vale needing extra help to understand numbers fluently. Leaders have adapted the curriculum to help children achieve this.

As a result, children confidently explore patterns within numbers up to 10. Four-year-old children now recognise the number of objects grouped together at a glance. Children share objects equally.

They check this by counting each object one by one.

Early years leaders skilfully build on children's interests. Children are excited to play and learn together.

During the inspection, children loved pretending to be police officers. They dressed up and used toy phones, radios and handcuffs. Children practised their writing and fine-motor skills by writing speeding tickets and taking fingerprints.

Early years staff help children learn when they are playing together. As a result, children are making good progress.

All subject leaders plan the curriculum right from the start in the early years.

This means children are very well prepared for Year 1. In reading, no time is wasted making sure that pupils move quickly through the phonics programme. All staff are well trained.

They make sure that pupils learn to read fluently and with confidence. In all subjects, teachers use assessment very well to check pupils' understanding. Teachers make sure that they do not move on until pupils are ready.

Leaders adapt the curriculum skilfully for pupils with SEND. The provision for pupils with SEND is improving rapidly under the new leadership team. Leaders want pupils with SEND to keep up with their peers.

In preparation for their next lesson, staff give pupils with SEND extra input. This helps pupils with SEND remember their prior learning. As a result, pupils with SEND take part in lessons with their peers confidently.

Leaders have increased the attendance of pupils with SEND at the many after-school clubs on offer. Pupils with SEND are given many opportunities, including at music and skateboarding clubs, to share their talents with their classmates.

Leaders have developed an impressive curriculum for pupils' personal development.

This includes excellent economic education. In 'money management' topics, pupils discuss questions such as 'Should we save or spend money?' or 'How do you save money?' Professionals from one of the big banks visited pupils in Years 2 and 6 to help pupils answer these questions. Meeting bankers also helps pupils to think about career options when they grow up.

This is preparing pupils well for adult life.

Leaders have evaluated the standard of pupils' behaviour accurately. Pupils' behaviour requires improvement.

A few pupils sometimes disrupt the learning for others in lessons. Teachers spend too much time having to sort this out, diminishing teaching time. In addition, some pupils behave badly at lunchtime.

Some pupils call other pupils, including those with protected characteristics, unkind names repeatedly. Leaders have begun to improve pupils' behaviour during the less-structured times of the school day. There has been a significant reduction in behavioural incidents since March 2022.

The new principal, who is due to take up the post in September 2022, has already visited the school to talk to pupils about her high expectations of their behaviour.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all the necessary recruitment checks are made.

All safeguarding policies are current and understood by staff. Leaders have trained staff to make sure that they can accurately identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders act quickly to address any concerns, working closely with other professionals.

Parents were consulted on the new policy for relationships education. Pupils are taught how to stay safe, including online. Children in Reception Year wear sun hats when they are learning outside.

Children understand why this is important.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A few pupils have poor attitudes to learning in some lessons. Their behaviour disrupts learning opportunities for other pupils.

Leaders should ensure that pupils behave consistently well in all lessons. ? A few pupils are unkind to others. Some pupils call other pupils unkind names repeatedly.

The victims include pupils with protected characteristics. This is unacceptable and makes some pupils unhappy in school. Leaders should ensure that bullying in all its forms is not tolerated at West Vale.