Stamford Welland Academy

Inspection of Stamford Welland Academy Green Lane, Stamford Welland Academy, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1HE

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 21 and 22 September 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop strong relationships with staff at this school. Each of the three houses, Austen, Da Vinci and Newton, forms a ‘school within a school’. This creates a sense of community which, in turn, helps staff to know the pupils well and allows pupils to feel safe and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high ambitions for what pupils can achieve. They have thought carefully about what knowledge pupils need to learn for future success. Most pupils are prepared well for when they leave the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations for all pupils. Many pupils respond appropriately to these expectations and behave well. Teachers deal with any off-task behaviour straight away. Pupils say bullying is rare and that, when it does occur, staff deal with it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities. Many attend the combined cadet force. Pupils take part in the school pledges programme. Pupils can also attend a range of activities during the school’s ‘session 6’ at the end of the school day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

If pupils experience emotional or mental health difficulties, staff are quick to act. Mental health counsellors and the training therapy dog help pupils who are experiencing any difficulties.

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better?

Leaders have done much to improve the school, including the quality of education. They have set high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning. They have strengthened relationships with the local community. These improvements have led to more parents wanting to send their children here.

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better?

Pupils study a broad range of subjects. In key stage 4, they are encouraged to study subjects that leaders believe will help pupils in the future. As a result, there has been a large increase in the number of pupils who study languages. Leaders make ambitious decisions about the curriculum which are in the best interests of the pupils. For example, they have changed how pupils study the different subjects in Years 7 and 8 to address previous underachievement at the end of key stage 4.

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better?

Most teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use well to teach the pupils. They regularly check what pupils have learned. For example, in science, teachers question pupils to check they know important facts before they move learning on. Pupils know and remember important knowledge in those subjects they study throughout their five years at the school. In some subjects that they stop learning in Year 8, such as geography and music, pupils do not learn about 21 and 22 September 2021

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important knowledge in as much depth as they could. As a result, they cannot always confidently recall what they have learned previously in these subjects.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support. Teachers are trained in how to adapt their teaching to meet these pupils’ needs. Some pupils with SEND receive effective support from teaching assistants. There is support in English to help any pupils with SEND who need it develop their literacy skills. Leaders do not know which strategies are having the most impact in supporting pupils with SEND in their learning.

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Leaders have prioritised literacy and reading. Pupils learn ‘powerful words’ during tutor time. There are areas of the school which are dedicated reading spaces. Leaders have introduced a phonics programme for pupils who struggle to read.

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‘Learning for life’ lessons and form time provide pupils with time to explore topics such as discrimination and different religions. This helps them widen pupils’ understanding of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues. Pupils also learn about healthy relationships, equalities, tolerance and the dangers of substance abuse. Pupils receive careers advice that meets the requirements of the Baker Clause. This guidance prepares them well for their next steps.

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Pupils value the strong relationships they have with staff. Most pupils behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. The school is calm and orderly. Attendance is improving.

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Staff recognise the improvements that the headteacher and the deputy headteacher have made in the short time they have been at the school. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about leaders’ actions to improve the school. Staff feel well supported.

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Academy councillors and trustees know the school well. They work effectively in partnership. They challenge and support leaders to improve the provision further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff, including trustees and academy councillors, know their safeguarding responsibilities. Leaders have ensured that pupils have trusted adults to whom they can speak if they have a concern. Pupils are confident in reporting concerns to staff. They know their concern will be taken seriously. Counsellors are available to support pupils, including over any mental health concerns pupils may have. Leaders work closely with external agencies to provide pupils about whom they have concerns with appropriate help.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant in identifying pupils that may need help. Staff know who to speak to if they have concerns about a pupil. 21 and 22 September 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects that pupils can opt not to study beyond key stage 3, pupils do not always have the opportunity to study important topics in the depth necessary. As a result, some pupils are not able to recall securely and with confidence key knowledge that they have previously learned in these subjects. This can limit their understanding of the core knowledge in this subject and can affect their future learning, including in other subjects. Leaders should ensure that, in such cases, pupils continue to receive opportunities across the curriculum to consider these topics, so that they can recall the core knowledge and use it when appropriate for their future learning.  Leaders are not clear on which strategies are having the greatest benefit for pupils with SEND. This can limit how well some pupils, including pupils with SEND, might achieve. Leaders need to ensure that they know which support strategies are the most effective so that they can provide this support to those

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

pupils who require it to help them achieve as highly as they can.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 and 22 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199739 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 January 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, a new headteacher, deputy headteacher and executive headteacher have taken up their substantive posts at the school. The executive headteacher and the headteacher both started in 2018. The deputy headteacher started at the school in 2019.  The school is registered to take children up the age of 18. Currently, no sixth- form pupils attend the school.  The school uses one alternative provider. This is the Pilgrim School, based in Lincoln.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 21 and 22 September 2021

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in science, mathematics, computer science, history and geography. For each deep dive, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ workbooks, spoke with pupils and met with teachers of the lessons they visited.  Inspectors visited lessons and reviewed curriculum plans in a wider range of subjects. They also spoke to some more curriculum leaders and pupils.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils from Years 8 and 10. They spoke with pupils informally and observed the behaviour of pupils during social times.  To consider the school’s safeguarding procedures, the lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. The lead inspector also looked at documentation relating to safeguarding, the school’s system for recruiting staff and the school’s single central register. All inspectors spoke with staff and pupils about safeguarding.  The lead inspector met with the chair of trustees and members of the academy

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council, including the chair. The lead inspector also met with the executive principal.  An inspector spoke on the telephone to representatives of the alternative provider the school uses.  An inspector spoke to the trust leader for the provision for pupils with SEND.  An inspector met with a range of staff from the school.  Inspectors took into account the 48 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 48 free-text responses. They also considered the 30 responses to the survey for staff.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation, curriculum plans and information concerning pupils’ attendance, behaviour and exclusions.

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Inspection team

Rakesh Patel, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Vondra Mays Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 September 2021

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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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