Bishop Creighton Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve attainment for all pupils in reading, writing and mathematics by:
  • ensuring that teachers give pupils clear instructions on how to improve their work
  • ensuring that teachers match activities to pupils’ needs more precisely so that more pupils, especially most-able pupils, are challenged sufficiently
  • ensuring that teachers have consistently high expectations of how pupils present their work
  • ensuring that teachers provide focused interventions, especially for pupils in Years 5 and 6, that enable pupils to fill the gaps in their knowledge so that more achieve the expected standard by the end of key stage 2.
• Improve attendance and reduce persistent absenteeism by:
  • continuing to embed the strategies that have brought about improvements, including challenging and supporting parents to make sure that their children are in school more often.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The principal, with drive and determination, has developed a vision which sets clear and high expectations of staff and pupils. There is a positive, reflective, forward-looking culture in the school.
• The partnership that has been developed between the principal, deputy principal and trustees has resulted in a school culture that wants to continually improve.
• The principal knows the school’s strengths and areas for development well. She has put in rigorous systems to check the quality of teaching and monitor the progress that pupils make. Information from these checks is reported accurately to trustees and used to plan the next steps in pupils’ learning.
• Middle leaders’ roles are developing. They have begun to visit classrooms, look at books and talk to pupils as they make judgements about what is working well and what needs to be improved.
• The programme of staff development is effective. Partnership working across the trust is valued by staff, including the sharing of good practice. Training plans and regular mentoring have been put in place to support the development of new teachers and those who need to improve their performance further. Teaching has improved considerably since the previous inspection.
• The connected curriculum, the school’s curriculum beyond English and mathematics, is suitably broad and balanced. There is good coverage of a wide range of subjects that interest and excite pupils and are studied in detail. A range of curriculum activities is provided so that pupils develop a good understanding of life in 21st-century Britain. This includes teaching pupils to value different cultures and understand the role of democracy in Britain.
• Teachers’ performance management is thorough. Leaders have linked challenging targets for individual teachers to school improvement objectives and provided appropriate training and support to help all teachers reach their targets. Trustees understand the system well and ensure that any pay rises are linked appropriately to performance. Trustees ensure that performance management of the principal is appropriately challenging.
• Leaders make effective use of the pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils, and regularly review the impact of this support. Leaders have high expectations of what disadvantaged pupils can achieve and, as a result, the progress made by these pupils matches closely the progress made from similar starting points by others nationally.
• The primary physical education (PE) and sport premium is spent effectively. Leaders and trustees have a clear plan for how the money should be spent and what the impact should be. They have set challenging goals to ensure that pupils have healthy active lifestyles and to support more pupils to take part in extra-curricular activities. This is supported well by the trust’s sports partnership.
• Provision for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, or who speak English as an additional language, is well led, and funding for this group of pupils is used effectively. The deputy principal supports learning across the school well so that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, or who speak English as an additional language, make good progress from their starting points. Intervention strategies and staff deployment have a positive impact on these pupils’ progress.
• The school promotes the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural skills effectively. Pupils understand the school values well and how these apply to their community and wider Britain. They are taught to value difference and develop moral values.
• Extra-curricular and enrichment activities are a strength of the school. There is a wide range of clubs that pupils can attend. A variety of visitors to the school contributes positively to learning and has helped pupils think about what careers they would like in the future.

Governance of the school

• The trustees have a very clear understanding and accurate picture of the school’s strengths and areas for development, including the development of middle leaders. They have provided timely and effective challenge and support for the school since the last inspection, particularly in relation to teacher recruitment, developing their own staff and staff training to improve the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils.
• The senior education adviser and involvement in the wider trust collaboration have been particularly effective in helping the school to move forwards quickly. The senior education adviser meets frequently with the principal so that any issues that have been identified are dealt with quickly.
• Trustees hold the principal to account well and make regular visits to the school to check on systems for safeguarding and key school improvement aims.
• Trustees rightly focus on ensuring that older key stage 2 pupils are ready for secondary education. This encompasses their academic achievement and invests in ‘character counts’, the trust’s programme for developing aspiration and motivation. Trustees understand the school’s assessment information and are confident that Year 6 pupils are on track.
• Trustees’ monitoring of the school’s performance management system is effective. They carefully check the reasoning behind any pay awards offered to staff and ensure that good value for money is obtained.
• Trustees attend a wide variety of training courses, which strengthen their skills. Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school’s culture is focused on making Bishop Creighton Academy a safe place to be. Pupils said that adults are kind and caring, and that it is easy to talk to them if they have a problem.
• Staff are trained well and are vigilant in checking that pupils feel safe and are well looked after. The system for reporting concerns is effectively managed, and all staff know who they should contact if they need to report any issues. Safeguarding referrals to local authorities and other appropriate agencies are made appropriately and rigorously followed up.
• Checks of the statutory requirements and procedures for the safe recruitment of staff by the school’s safeguarding lead are rigorous.
• Leaders ensure that the case files of pupils are detailed, kept up to date and stored securely.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved since the previous inspection, due to regular monitoring and evaluation, which identifies the strengths and weaknesses accurately. Targeted training and coaching are then used to enable staff to improve their practice.
• The teaching of reading skills is good. In early years, children make a good start with their early development of reading because of effective teaching, an encouraging environment and effective links with parents. The teaching of phonics in the early years and Year 1 is strong, and more pupils than previously develop at an appropriate level. The new reading scheme is well used, and good teaching in key stage 2 ensures that the progress that all groups of pupils make in reading is broadly in line with national averages.
• Pupils in all year groups said that they enjoy their mathematics lessons. There are some strengths in the teaching of mathematics. These include the good subject knowledge of teachers, effective planning of activities for pupils, availability of appropriate resources and high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Teachers develop resilience in pupils’ mathematical learning by encouraging them to tackle difficult problems with no obvious answer.
• Teachers set appropriate homework which helps pupils improve their mathematics skills, research and independent writing. Year 6 pupils said that they enjoy their half-termly challenge homework.
• Teaching assistants work effectively to support pupils and have a positive impact on learning. They work closely with class teachers and have a clear idea of how pupils should be supported in each lesson to achieve their learning targets.
• Teachers and teaching assistants have a good understanding of the needs of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, or who speak English as an additional language. They set appropriate targets and provide high-quality support to ensure that these pupils make good progress.
• Classrooms are purposeful and present a positive learning environment. The relationships between teachers and pupils are productive and respectful. Many teachers demonstrate good behaviour management skills to keep pupils on track and ensure progress in lessons.
• More recently, in Year 5 and Year 6 classes, pupils are able to solve a range of fraction problems and develop mathematical reasoning. High-quality questioning encourages them to think deeply about the different ways in which they can solve problems. Pupils are given sufficient time to ‘puzzle’ over problems that they find hard. Additional groups inside the classroom are given excellent support to work at their own level.
• There are some inconsistencies in the quality of information that teachers give to pupils to make sure that they know what to do next to improve their work. In some classes, the most able are not challenged sufficiently to work at the higher levels or practise the skills they have learned.
• There are also differences between classes in the expectations for the presentation of pupils’ work. In most classes, pupils are expected to take pride in their work and present it neatly. In some classes, however, teachers do not challenge or correct work that is not of the pupil’s best quality.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Throughout the school, pupils are polite, courteous, friendly and welcoming. They show high levels of respect, opening doors for one another and adults. They have a clear understanding of right and wrong and can explain the difference between being rude, mean and bullying.
• Pupils feel safe at Bishop Creighton Academy, and staff work tirelessly to ensure that every child is cared for. During the inspection, pupils learned how to be safe on the internet and understood the difference between real friends and online friends; even the youngest pupils were able to share top tips for keeping safe online. Parents agree that the school keeps pupils safe. Staff are diligent in finding out how pupils feel and what issues are concerning them.
• Incidents of bullying are rare, and the school has clear systems in place to deal with any incidents effectively. Pupils trust staff to deal with any incidents quickly.
• Pupils support one another and work well together. This was particularly evident in intervention groups, such as boxercise and anger management. The school buddy system and peer champions are particularly effective in settling in new pupils, who are often from other countries.
• Pupils show high levels of enthusiasm for their work and have good levels of resilience when solving problems. They are proud of their work. Pupils learn to manage their relationships well. Pupils can sensibly resolve minor disputes between each other. Consequently, lessons are not disrupted often.
• On the whole, parents are pleased with the school. They appreciate the improvements that have been made over the last year and are happy with the school’s management of bullying. Most parents feel involved in the learning journey of their children. The school is effective in encouraging pupils to develop healthy lifestyles. The strong emphasis on PE and the wide range of after-school and lunchtime clubs has a positive effect on their health and fitness.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Most pupils behave well in class. They display good manners and listen well to their teachers. Pupils respond quickly to teachers’ instructions, and very little time due to disruptive behaviour is lost in lessons.
• Around the school, in assembly, in the playground and when eating lunch, pupils’ behaviour is good.
• The behaviour policy is applied consistently across the school by all members of staff. Pupils said that both the rainbow wristbands and the card system help them to improve behaviour, and they think the system is fair.
• Attendance is not yet good enough. However, the school is diligent and robust in its monitoring, support of and challenge to pupils and families. Pupils arrive at school on time and are not late for lessons.
• There have been no exclusions since the school became part of the trust.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Outcomes for pupils are being strengthened by improvements in teaching, learning and assessment, but standards in key stage 2 have remained low due to the gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding from a legacy of previously inadequate teaching.
• Current school assessment information convincingly suggests that the progress for current pupils is consistently good across reading, writing and mathematics.
• Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics in key stage 1. In Year 1, the proportion who reached the expected standard in the phonics screening check was above the national average in 2017. This has improved since the last inspection due to a more systematic approach, good-quality teaching and increased targeted support for pupils who need additional help.
• By the end of Year 2, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics is broadly in line with the national average.
• During key stage 2, pupils continue to make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics; despite this, in the past two years by the end of Year 6, results were not at the expected level in all areas. However, due to good teaching and interventions, pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 make good progress now.
• Leaders and teachers are working together to ensure that all pupils are sufficiently challenged so that they can make the best possible progress.
• Appropriately focused interventions in Year 6 are ensuring that current pupils’ gaps in knowledge and understanding are eroded in order to ensure that pupils achieve the expected level.
• Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, make good progress throughout the school. Good systems are in place to support these pupils. Teachers have high expectations of them, plan work carefully and provide additional support where it is needed, so that disadvantaged pupils usually achieve as well as other pupils in school.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, or who speak English as an additional language, make good progress because planning for their needs is detailed and thorough. Strong leadership in this area ensures that expectations for pupils’ progress are high. A wide range of support strategies is used and matched well to pupils’ individual needs.
• Pupils read frequently and confidently. Pupils in key stage 1 talked confidently about their books when reading to the inspector. A structured approach to reading has been adopted throughout the school and this leads to good progress. Pupils apply their phonic skills well when reading words that they do not recognise immediately. Older pupils choose a wide range of challenging books and are able to discuss aspects of writing, such as character development, story construction and writing to create different emotions in the reader.
• Progress in a range of subjects is good, and there are particular strengths in PE. Opportunities are given to pupils to improve their knowledge, skills and understanding in a variety of themes that interest and excite them, for example the importance of fossils in understanding the past.

Early years provision Good

• Children enter the early years with skills that are well below or below those typical for their age, as reflected in their learning journeys. However, children make good progress in the early years. The proportion of children, including disadvantaged children, who reach a good level of development has risen over the last three years and is in line with the national average.
• The early years is managed effectively so that children have a good start to their education in the Reception class. All groups of children make good progress and almost all are prepared well for Year 1.
• Parents are welcomed into class on a regular basis to work with their children and are provided with opportunities to attend a wide range of parent sessions, which provide information about different aspects of the learning. A recent and successful curriculum evening held for parents included an overview of teaching phonics, providing parents with strategies to support their child at home.
• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the early years is good. For example, in the Reception class, children are encouraged to develop their early writing skills through a wide range of stimulating activities. Detailed records are kept of what the children have achieved and their next steps in learning. These are used to provide the children with support so they can continue to improve their skills. Staff are skilful at modelling and correcting vocabulary and pronunciation.
• Children are well behaved, maintain good levels of concentration and listen well to each other in reflection time. They are kind to one another, take turns and share the equipment well. Both indoors and outdoors, they use equipment safely.
• The school provides a safe and caring learning environment. Teachers and support staff know the children well, and can talk confidently about every child’s strengths and areas for development.
• Detailed plans are put in place to support children who have areas of learning in which they need additional support, often in the areas of social and communication skills. This work is effective.
• Leadership of the early years is strong. Leaders employ innovative ideas to adapt teaching and learning activities and approaches to meet the additional needs of individual children.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 136721 Peterborough 10041769 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 232 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mike Hamlin Vicki Redhead 01733 343895 www.bishopcreightonacademy.co.uk admin@bishopcreightonacademy.org Date of previous inspection 20–21 January 2016

Information about this school

• The school converted to an academy in April 2015. It is part of Greenwood Academies Trust.
• The trust remains responsible for governance and statutory responsibilities, but also provides non-statutory challenge and support through the school’s advisory council, which is made up of a group of parents and members of the community.
• The school meets the Department for Education’s definition of a coasting school based on key stage 2 academic performance results in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
• The school has a one-form entry, apart from Year 5 in which there are two forms, with pupils from a range of ethnic backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is above average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, including those with an education, health and care plan, is well above average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 21 lessons, some with one of the school’s senior leaders, and in five intervention activities. They carried out additional learning walks.
• The team held meetings with senior and middle leaders, a newly qualified teacher and a trainee teacher, three representatives of the academy trust and two groups of pupils, as well as informal conversations with pupils in lessons and at social times. Inspectors listened to pupils reading.
• Inspectors observed the school’s work. They looked at safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures, self-evaluation and improvement planning, minutes of meetings from the trust, assessment information, records of pupils’ attendance and other information provided by school leaders.
• Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ books in lessons and a sample of ‘connected curriculum’ books belonging to pupils in both key stages.
• They took account of nine free texts sent by parents during the inspection, and 11 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. Fifty-one responses from pupils and 20 responses from staff were also considered.

Inspection team

Sally Garrett, lead inspector Wayne Harris

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector