Westfield Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At this inclusive school, pupils get off to a great start. This is because staff help pupils to 'believe, strive and achieve'. Staff believe in pupils' abilities and potential.

Pupils get plenty of help, support and encouragement with their studies. Pupils and students in the sixth form learn an ambitious curriculum. This includes the opportunity to study a varied range of academic and vocational subjects, including the high-quality football academy.

Highly effective careers advice guides and motivates pupils and students in the sixth form to 'aim high'. Many move on to ambitious destinations in the world of work or further study.

Wider trips and experiences ...take pupils beyond their day-to-day lives.

Pupils value the lessons they learn from the varied external speakers that visit their assemblies. Exciting trips abroad or the popular Duke of Edinburgh's Award enable pupils to try something different. Pupils enjoy the sports clubs and other extra-curricular activities on offer.

Clear routines support most pupils to behave well. Pupils are respectful to each other and to staff. The student council works closely with staff to make positive changes to school life, for instance improving the rewards system or introducing further opportunities to celebrate the school's diverse community.

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

The school's well-designed curriculum is a result of leaders' continuous reflection and evaluation of 'what works'. The curriculum gives pupils access to ambitious qualifications that will set them up well for their futures. This ambition is shown through the high number of pupils that access the English Baccalaureate and the well-considered mix of academic and vocational subjects in both the school and sixth form.

The school arranges subject knowledge logically. This enables pupils to build their learning effectively as they progress through the school. When teaching, staff, overall, successfully use the school's approach called the 'Westfield Way'.

This approach is based on a range of practices that support pupils to learn well. Effective training means that mostly staff know and use these techniques in the classroom. Through the 'you do' tasks, staff ensure that pupils and students in the sixth form get plenty of practice and support to remember and build on what they have learned.

Consequently, pupils progress well from their various starting points.

Accurate checks in lessons help staff to spot if any pupils need further help or support. In most cases, staff use these checks well and quickly help pupils with their errors or gaps in learning.

In a small number of cases, however, sometimes, staff move on too quickly before checking new learning. Consequently, pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they do in the rest of the curriculum.

When pupils start at the school, staff effectively check their reading knowledge.

A varied range of interventions and support help most pupils catch up. Staff recognise that some readers need extra support on top of what is already on offer. This is to improve their fluency and confidence.

A new programme to support reading has just started, but it is too early to tell its impact.

Staff collect accurate information about pupils' needs. Teachers use this information well to adapt lessons around pupils' specific special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils with SEND are fully included in school life, and many progress well with their learning.

Most staff deal with behaviour well. High-quality emotional and well-being support is in place for pupils who need it.

Pupils trust the adults to look after them or be there if things get tricky. The school's 'ripple effect' principles outline the high expectations that the school expects from pupils. These include being respectful, listening and putting effort into their learning.

Most pupils live up to these principles and behave well. Any disruption is dealt with quickly so that pupils can refocus on their learning. In a minority of instances, some staff are inconsistent with how they deal with pupils' behaviour.

Consequently, these pupils do not always behave as well.

An improving personal, social, health and economic education curriculum teaches pupils about important topics such as first aid and democracy. Topics are effectively altered around local issues.

This means the learning is relevant to pupils and their day-to-day lives.

Since the previous inspection, the school has continued to improve. Leaders have not stood still.

They know what work there is still to do. They act with determination and, with the support of staff and the trustees, put pupils at the centre of their work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A small number of teachers are still developing their expertise, so they do not always check pupils' understanding effectively. This means that gaps in pupils' understanding are not spotted or addressed as quickly as they could be. The school should ensure that all staff use assessment effectively so that any gaps in knowledge are spotted promptly and addressed.

• The new approach to supporting pupils with their phonics and reading has only just started. Pupils are yet to benefit from this support. The school should ensure that programmes to support pupils with their reading are implemented well so that pupils have the necessary skills to access the full curriculum and achieve their potential.

• A minority of staff do not use the school's behaviour systems and routines consistently well. In these instances, pupils' behaviour is not addressed in an effective or fair manner. The school should ensure that all staff know and understand the procedures to address poor behaviour and use these consistently and fairly.