Lawn Manor Academy

Inspection of Lawn Manor Academy Salcombe Grove, Swindon SN3 1ER

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 21–22 January 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and staff say the school has ‘transformed’ over the last few years. Pupils behave well, and they know they will be able to learn without disruption. They are proud to attend Lawn Manor Academy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. The strong pastoral system supports pupils well. Pupils say that there is always someone they can go to for help or advice. Although bullying is infrequent, pupils are confident that it is dealt with quickly. New arrivals to the school say that they feel welcomed and settle in quickly. Pupils are tolerant and keen to find out about each other’s cultures and traditions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In some subjects, pupils do not learn as much as they could. The way the curriculum is planned means that pupils do not always know and then remember enough of what they are taught. The attendance of some pupils is not as high as it should be, and this affects how much they learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Younger pupils enjoy the school’s reading programmes. They say that it encourages them to read more. The school provides a wealth of opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and talents. Many pupils play table tennis and basketball, whereas others choreograph dance shows, are trained librarians, or coach their peers.

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better?

The headteacher and her senior team are ambitious for all pupils at Lawn Manor and determined to improve the school further. They and the governing board have a clear vision for improvement. Leaders have been successful in creating a safe and purposeful learning environment.

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better?

Leaders are committed to improving the school’s curriculum. The current curriculum is not rich and broad enough for as long as possible. Some subjects have omitted important knowledge to fit content into the time available in key stage 3. For example, pupils do not learn about important events such as the Second World War and the Holocaust. Leaders have structured plans to improve the curriculum for the next academic year.

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better?

Pupils learn well in subjects where teachers thoughtfully select content and appropriate activities. In science, teachers provide pupils with the right building blocks so that they know more over time. However, in history and geography, teaching does not always help pupils to understand or recall important concepts. In history, pupils could recall an activity but not its purpose or the knowledge they needed to learn. Pupils have less depth of knowledge when this occurs.

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better?

Most teaching communicates clear expectations to pupils about the quality of work expected of them. When this happens, pupils’ work is usually detailed and complete. However, this is not universally the case and at times pupils do not 21–22 January 2020

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always finish their work. This can lead to gaps in knowledge. This is most pronounced in history. In English, the school’s chosen approach to teaching does not ensure that all pupils develop the building blocks of knowledge they need to learn more.

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Leaders have put strategies in place to improve attendance. These are having some impact. Pupils know the importance of attending well. However, attendance is still too low. After an absence, teachers do not always expect or check that pupils catch up on work. As a result, these pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

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The help provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is coordinated effectively. Pupils appreciate the ‘connect’ programme that helps them to access the curriculum and become more confident. Teachers are provided with information on how to help these pupils in the classroom. However, they do not use this systematically to support pupils with SEND to develop their knowledge.

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The school is developing the character of pupils well through its own ILEARN programme. Many pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, participate in the school’s enrichment programme. Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe, including online, healthy relationships and mental and physical well-being during personal development days. However, the curriculum structure sometimes limits older pupils’ opportunities to develop an understanding of different beliefs and democracy.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained. They spot issues quickly and use the school’s systems effectively.

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Safeguarding

The school has a knowledgeable and skilled safeguarding team. It has many challenging cases to deal with and does this effectively. Team members specialise in key areas and this helps them to better support vulnerable pupils with their complex needs. Staff work creatively to find solutions when there are gaps in external provision. They are tenacious in their pursuit of help for pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors have a good understanding of safer recruitment, prevent and the local issues that affect their pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have rightly identified attendance as an area for improvement. They have put strategies in place to improve this. Although there has been some 21–22 January 2020

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improvement, absence and persistent absence remain higher than the school would like. The school needs to persist with its strategies and work closely with families to enable them to understand the importance of regular attendance.  The school does not have a clear strategy to support pupils to catch up with missed learning if they have been absent for a short time. If pupils miss a personal development day or subject time, they have important gaps in their knowledge. The school should help pupils to plug knowledge these gaps, so they do not have an impact on their learning as they progress through the curriculum.  The curriculum is not yet fully developed in a number of key areas. The school needs to make sure that the new curriculum is well planned and implemented in all subjects. Weaker subject areas need to be supported to develop a logical and well-sequenced curriculum that builds on previous learning. This will help pupils

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to have more secure knowledge.  Leaders have identified pedagogy that they believe is most useful. However, it is not used well across all subjects. Some teachers need guidance on how to use classroom activities well so that their pupils know, understand and remember more.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 21–22 January 2020

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Lawn Manor Academy opened in May 2017. It is a member of the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Trust.  The school uses alternative provision at Education Other Than At School (EOTAS), which includes the Oakfield Project and the Riverside Centre. It also uses New College.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the chair of the trust, the CEO, the chair of the local governing board and governors. Inspectors also met with the headteacher, senior leaders, curriculum leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: English, geography, history and science. Inspectors visited lessons, met with staff, looked at pupils’ work, talked with pupils, interviewed curriculum leaders and examined documentation. 21–22 January 2020

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 Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead and the deputy designated safeguarding lead. The inspection team talked with a range of staff about safeguarding training. Inspectors examined documentation and school records.  Inspectors spoke with pupils to discuss their views about the school. Inspectors considered 27 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Tracey Reynolds, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gill Hickling Ofsted Inspector 21–22 January 2020

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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