Wigston Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a good school that serves its community well. Teachers have high expectations of what all pupils can achieve.

They want them to aspire and to work hard. The school's 'RARER' (resilience, ambition, responsibility, engagement and respect) values are evident throughout the school and understood by pupils.

There are positive relationships between staff and pupils.

Staff care about their pupils' education and well-being. Pupils feel safe and say that they are happy at school. Leaders model the high expectations they have of pupils.

There is a calm and positive atmosphere around the school site. Pupils concentrate well in their lessons.

Pu...pils say that if they have any worries they can approach a member of staff.

When rare incidents of poor behaviour or bullying happen, leaders act quickly to resolve these.

Pupils value the wide range of activities available to them. They can pursue interests or develop talents in sport, music, dance, yoga and STEM club.

Pupils appreciate that the school is open early to allow pupils to attend a free breakfast club. Pupils value the range of leadership responsibilities available to them, including being on the school council, being ambassadors and being sports leaders. Pupils spoke about how these opportunities have given them confidence, resilience and a sense of responsibility.

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

Leaders have made significant improvements to the curriculum. They have built an ambitious curriculum. Leaders and staff have thought carefully about what pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), should know and be able to do.

Leaders want all pupils to be well prepared for their adult lives. Leaders have considered the local context and made sure that the curriculum addresses these needs. Pupils learn about real-life matters, such as debt management.

Most subject curriculums are well planned and sequenced, enabling pupils to build on prior knowledge. Teaching provides opportunities for pupils to revisit knowledge, so that they know and remember more. Lessons start with 'do now' activities to enable pupils to retrieve their prior knowledge.

In geography, teachers often ask questions about what pupils learned last lesson, last week and last term. In most subjects, teachers carefully check that pupils have learned the important knowledge. In subjects where this happens consistently, pupils are more able to remember what they have learned.

However, in some subjects and after assessments, teachers do not consistently check that pupils remember the content sufficiently well.

Many teachers are enthusiastic about the subjects that they teach. In some subjects, particularly English, pupils have the opportunity to discuss and debate.

Pupils spoke positively about this. However, in some other areas of the curriculum, teachers do not encourage discussion of the subject matter.

Pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers.

Teachers make effective use of 'pupil profiles' when planning and delivering the curriculum. Pupils with SEND are well supported in lessons, and spoke positively about the care and support they receive.

Leaders promote a love of reading across the school.

Ensuring that all pupils can read is a priority. Pupils who have fallen behind in reading are identified quickly. They receive a well-structured programme of support.

They are helped to become more confident and fluent readers.

Leaders promote pupils' personal development well. This helps them to learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe.

Leaders place considerable emphasis on developing pupils' resilience. This permeates all aspects of the school's work. For example, in lessons teachers highlight the academy's core values and rewards are given to pupils who demonstrate them.

Leaders have introduced a 'passport for success' as part of 'the Wigston way'. Pupils value these rewards and are keen to accumulate them. However, some pupils lack the confidence to discuss and debate in some areas of the personal development programme.

Pupils receive appropriate careers advice and guidance about their next steps.

Those responsible for governance understand the vision of the school. They support and challenge senior leaders well.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They say they are well supported by leaders and the trust.

Leaders' actions have made a significantly positive difference to pupils and staff.

This is a school of which the whole community can be proud.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders responsible for safeguarding are highly knowledgeable.

They maintain good oversight of any issues that arise. All staff have been well trained in safeguarding and understand their responsibility to keep pupils safe. Staff pass on any concerns they have.

Leaders ensure that pupils get the support they need in a timely manner. Records relating to child protection are detailed, well organised and stored securely.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have developed a strategy for assessment that enables teachers to check for misconceptions and embed knowledge.

However, the implementation of this is still variable in some subjects and classes. There are occasions when teachers do not check pupils' responses to tasks or check that the assessments are correctly matched to the needs of the pupils. Leaders must ensure that assessments are well matched, and misconceptions are identified and quickly addressed.

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