Temple Learning Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve pupils’ attendance, especially that of disadvantaged pupils, across all key stages.
• As the school grows, continue to embed further the systems for checking the quality of teaching and learning and ensure that all middle leaders use them effectively in their work.
• Continue to improve teaching and learning by:
  • providing consistent stretch and challenge to pupils, especially the most able pupils
  • ensuring that children in the early years have opportunities to engage in independent learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The leadership model of the two co-principals is effective. Both principals work very well together. They are ambitious, passionate and committed to continuous improvement, and have a clear vision for building a successful all-through school. Their drive and determination to succeed are relentless.
• The leadership team has grown since the school opened in 2015. School leaders have managed the growth of the school effectively. The move of the school into its new premises in May 2017 was successfully organised.
• Governors strengthened the leadership of the school further through the addition of two new senior leaders from September 2017. The current school leadership team works well together across all phases of learning. There is positive morale across the whole school and all staff share the co-principals’ vision.
• School leaders accurately identify strengths and weaknesses, and act swiftly to secure any improvements required. They support staff with appropriate professional development, through carefully planned quality assurance activities. As a result, teaching and learning are improving.
• The school uses its partnership with other schools effectively to check the accuracy of assessment and to improve the quality of teaching. Leaders support teachers, where needed, to make specific improvements in their teaching by learning from good practice.
• Leaders have put in place a creative curriculum which focuses on deepening the knowledge and understanding of pupils, before moving on to the next phase of learning. The curriculum is carefully designed to take into account the growth of the school and is extended further through a variety of enrichment opportunities for all pupils. Consequently, pupils are enthused and motivated and enjoy their learning.
• Leaders use the funding for pupil premium pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities well. Additional support strategies, such as nurture group provision and enrichment sessions, numeracy and literacy support and additional learning in core subjects, result in strong progress for these groups of pupils.
• Leaders also ensure that the physical education and sport premium is used well. All pupils are involved in physical outdoor learning every week and the majority also participate regularly in sporting after-school activities and competitions.
• The co-principals have implemented robust and accurate systems to assess and track pupils’ achievement in all classes. In partnership with the local authority, the Temple Newsam Learning Partnership Trust and the Red Kite Alliance, the school’s assessments have been checked and moderated. As a result, leaders have confidence in their accuracy and are able to use the information to accurately evaluate the impact of their actions.
• Leaders have established thorough systems to check the quality of teaching and learning in the school. However, they recognise that, as the school grows, these systems need further embedding. Some middle leaders’ skills in evaluating the impact of teaching on pupils’ achievement when checking pupils’ work are still developing.

Governance of the school

• Governance is a real strength of the school. Governors are passionate and committed to continuous whole-school growth and further improvement.
• The governing body is ably led by a very experienced chair of governors and includes highly skilled members with a wide range of knowledge and expertise. They provide robust challenge to school leaders at all levels.
• Governors are actively involved in school life and they are aligned to areas of the school that best match their areas of expertise. They play a vital role in developing and further expanding the school.
• Governors frequently visit the school and regularly monitor all aspects of school performance. They scrutinise school performance information, including safeguarding records. Consequently, they know well the strengths and areas of development.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding records are detailed and leaders ensure that all appropriate checks are carried out on the suitability of staff who work with pupils. Safer recruitment procedures are followed appropriately.
• There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. The co-principals and their safeguarding team ensure that all staff, including governors, receive appropriate and up-to-date training on child protection, including the dangers of radicalisation. As a result, staff are knowledgeable about child protection procedures, the signs to look for and how to report concerns.
• Staff know the pupils very well and are vigilant. Leaders have effective referral procedures in place and work closely with external agencies to support vulnerable pupils.
• Pupils report that they feel safe and know what to do to stay safe, including when online.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers know their pupils well and help them to make good progress from their starting points in a range of subjects, including reading, writing and mathematics.
• The relationships between teachers and pupils are very strong. Pupils are confident in asking questions and are keen to learn. Consequently, they are able to make good progress and deepen their knowledge and understanding.
• Teaching ensures that pupils develop effective skills in phonics. Teachers create accurate groupings based on regular assessments. As a result, there is an appropriate level of challenge across all the groups. Outcomes in phonics continue to improve.
• Pupils, including the lower-attaining pupils, apply their phonics skills well in reading unfamiliar or difficult words and in writing. Pupils read fluently and with expression. In Year 7, frequent assessments of reading enable teachers to ensure that pupils read age-appropriate books with appropriate challenge.
• Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. They know how to use their knowledge appropriately for the age and ability of their pupils, making effective use of prior learning. Consequently, most pupils are challenged and achieve well. Pupils in Year 2 were able to identify features of their own writing and ways to improve it, such as by adding adverbs to their texts.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work very well together, set high expectations and use questioning effectively. Teachers probe pupils’ understanding through targeted questioning and identify misconceptions quickly.
• Most teachers plan activities that meet the varying needs of pupils. However, there is some variation, including in Year 1 and Year 7 classes. As a result, not all pupils, especially the most able pupils, are sufficiently stretched and challenged to enable them to deepen their knowledge and understanding.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Leaders have created a very warm, caring and inclusive school environment.
• Teachers work hard to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development across the curriculum and across all year groups. Teachers actively promote values such as respect, tolerance, equality and inclusivity through a skilfully planned series of events and activities. Pupils in Year 7 are able to articulate maturely the importance of these values.
• The school’s curriculum enables children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 to experience outdoor learning. During these sessions, children and pupils are encouraged to take risks and be resilient. As a result, they develop good attitudes to learning.
• The school’s nurture system is very effective and a real strength of the school. Nurture groups are used effectively to support all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, with their social and emotional well-being, as well as with their behaviour. As a result, pupils swiftly improve their self-confidence and new pupils settle in well and feel part of the school quickly.
• Pupils say that bullying is extremely rare. They say that they feel safe in school and know how to stay safe, including when online. They know who to go to if they have any concerns. Inspection evidence and the views of parents, carers and staff confirm this.
• Leaders are effective in considering carefully the welfare of the very small number of pupils who attend alternative provision. The communication between school staff and the providers is good. As a result, these pupils follow a personalised curriculum that is appropriate to their needs, resulting in much-improved behaviour and attendance.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Leaders and staff set high expectations. The co-principals lead by example and all staff model respectful behaviour at all times. As a result, pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school site.
• During breaks and lunchtimes, pupils play well together. They are respectful to each other and to staff. The relationships between staff and pupils are a strength of the school and create a calm but purposeful atmosphere in lessons and around the newly built school site.
• Pupils are happy at school and proud to be members of its community. They wear their uniform with pride and respect the very well-kept environment for learning.
• In Year 7, instances of low-level disruption are very rare and, when they occur, teachers apply the behaviour policy consistently. The number of fixed-term exclusions has reduced even further during the current academic year, from a low starting point. Effective nurture group support and use of the alternative provision contribute significantly to this reduction.
• The school’s first published attendance data in 2017 reported that attendance was above average. However, attendance so far this year is not as good. The school’s small pupil numbers mean that the low attendance of a few pupils can have a disproportionately negative impact on overall attendance. Leaders track and monitor pupils’ attendance carefully and thoroughly. Staff responsible for attendance work tirelessly with families to reinforce the importance of good attendance and provide various support strategies. As a result, attendance is improving and pupils are attending school more regularly. Even so, there remains scope to improve attendance further in all key stages. This is particularly the case for disadvantaged pupils.

Outcomes for pupils

• Most pupils in all key stages are achieving well.

Good

• After a good start to learning in the early years, pupils continue to achieve well in key stage 1. In 2017, the large majority of pupils reached the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Inspection evidence shows pupils are making strong progress in phonics.
• Pupils currently in Year 2 will be the first cohort in the school’s history to undertake national assessment tests at the end of key stage 1. Consequently, there are no external results to compare pupils’ outcomes with those of other schools nationally. Inspection evidence shows, however, that pupils in both Years 1 and 2 make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Pupils who joined the school in Year 7 this year have made a good start to their learning. In a wide range of subjects, including reading, writing, mathematics, science, technology, art and drama, they are making good progress. This is seen in the good quality of work evident in pupils’ books.
• Disadvantaged pupils are making good progress from their starting points, especially in the early years and key stage 1. Leaders continuously review the impact of support and adapt staffing to reflect the growing proportion of disadvantaged pupils in school. The pupil premium is used to good effect.
• Pupils who are working at standards lower than those expected for their age make strong progress from their starting points. Effective programmes of support are put in place to boost their achievement. As a result, they make good progress.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress. They receive effective extra support, carefully focused on their needs.
• Although the most able pupils achieve well overall, sometimes they are given work that lacks challenge and they are capable of achieving even more.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders ensure that the provision meets children’s needs well. As a result, children currently at the school make good progress across most areas of learning.
• Teachers work closely with parents to identify what children know and can do when they start school. Strong communication with parents through an online system enables parents to contribute effectively to the picture of their children’s growing skills and interests. Teachers review this continuously. Consequently, children make strong progress from their different staring points.
• Children get off to a good start in phonics. Teachers use assessment effectively to create accurate groupings of children according to their ability. As a result, teachers are able to support the children’s acquisition of skills well.
• The leader of the early years has a clear picture of the strengths and areas to develop. She works closely with other school leaders to bring about improvements through robust tracking and monitoring systems. The early years team works well together and shares the knowledge of children’s learning and next steps effectively.
• Children settle quickly in to school life. Teachers create an inclusive, caring, nurturing, and well-ordered environment. This helps children feel safe and confident. Children know the routines well and they learn quickly to behave well and to follow instructions.
• There is a strong safeguarding culture in the early years. All staff know the children well. Staff are vigilant and know how to raise concerns.
• The early years environment offers a wide range of carefully planned activities. When children’s interests are used to inform the planning of learning, children are excited about their learning and are keen to write independently. During child-led activities, adults support children well, leading their learning effectively. However, sometimes the opportunities for children to engage in learning of their own choice are limited.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 141883 Leeds 10048342 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school All-through School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy free school 4 to 16 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 250 Appropriate authority Chair Principals Board of trustees Timothy Kitching Matthew Browne and Richard Hadfield Telephone number 01132 645 456 Website Email address www.templelearningacademy.org info@tlacademy.org.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Temple Learning Academy is an all-through free school academy that opened in September 2015 for the first cohort of children in Reception. In May 2017, the school moved to new premises and, in September 2017, the first cohort of Year 7 pupils joined the school.
• The school was formed through a partnership of maintained schools in the local area and currently has children in Reception, and pupils in Years 1, 2 and 7.
• The school is a member of the cooperative Temple Newsam Learning Partnership Trust and the Red Kite Teaching Alliance. The school is in the final stages of joining the Red Kite Learning Trust.
• The school is structured in phases of learning. Phase 1 includes children in the early years and Year 1; phase 2 includes pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4; phase 3 includes pupils in Years 5, 6, 7 and 8; and phase 4 includes pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11.
• The school operates a leadership model of two co-principals, one principal appointed prior to the opening of the school and the second principal appointed in January 2017. In September 2017, two new additional senior leaders were appointed to support the growth of the school and lead phases 2 and 3.
• The school uses the East Leeds Area Inclusion Partnership’s EXCEL Centre for alternative provision for a very small number of pupils.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited parts of lessons in a range of subjects, covering all key stages and all teaching staff. Some of these visits took place jointly with senior leaders. During visits to classrooms, inspectors looked in pupils’ workbooks and questioned pupils about their learning.
• Discussions took place with the co-principals, other senior leaders and a number of teachers. Inspectors also held discussions with members of the wider body of staff.
• Discussions also took place with a representative of the Department for Education and the chief executive officer of the Red Kite Learning Trust. Inspectors met with a range of governors, including the chair of the governing body.
• Inspectors spoke to parents and held discussions with pupils from Years 2 and 7 about what it is like to be a young person at the school. Inspectors also visited pupils at their alternative provision and listened to pupils read.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school, including between lessons, at breaktimes and at lunchtime.
• Inspectors took into account 35 free-text responses from parents to the online survey, Parent View. Inspectors analysed 32 responses to the staff survey and 35 responses to the pupil questionnaire.
• Inspectors examined records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.
• Inspectors also scrutinised documents including school development plans, governing body minutes, parental surveys, external reviews, leaders’ monitoring notes and information about pupils’ achievement.

Inspection team

Dimitris Spiliotis, lead inspector Janet Keefe Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector