All Saints National Academy

Inspection of All Saints National Academy High Street, Bloxwich, Walsall, West Midlands WS3 3LP

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 January 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Inadequate 12 and 13 January 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

All Saints National Academy is a warm, caring school where pupils are happy and feel safe. It is an improving school, but there is still work to do to ensure that pupils get a good education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff want the best for pupils. However, their expectations are sometimes too low. Teachers spend too long revisiting basic skills and going back to starting points. This holds pupils back and they do not move on to new learning. Consequently, not all pupils achieve as well as they should in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils listen carefully to teachers and each other. They enjoy learning and finding out new things. However, when teachers do not explain activities clearly, some pupils lose focus in lessons or have to wait for adult help.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can recognise different types of bullying and know that it is wrong. Pupils know who they can talk to and are confident that adults sort out issues quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that pupils enjoy different experiences and learn new skills. For example, the school has its own ‘master chef’ who works with pupils to develop their cookery skills. Pupils also learn about money management through links with a local bank.

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better?

The trust has taken firm and decisive action since the previous inspection. They have increased the accountability of all leaders and staff. They work closely with the local academy committee (LAC). Together, trust members provide high levels of support and challenge. This has led to the school making stronger progress.

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better?

Leaders have recently changed the design of their curriculum. A subject-based approach has replaced the previous theme-led curriculum. Pupils now have a more balanced curriculum. Pupils are beginning to build subject-specific skills and knowledge more successfully, such as in history. However, leaders have yet to review how consistently and effectively the intended curriculum is being delivered.

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better?

Staff have created a system to check how well pupils are achieving in different subjects, with support from the trust. However, these checks have not yet been implemented in all subjects. This means that leaders do not yet know how well pupils are doing, or who needs more support.

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better?

Developing the early years has been a priority of the school. Staff have worked hard to improve the classroom environment. Children enjoy sitting in the book corner and sharing their favourite stories with a friend. They also enjoy the wide range of activities planned to build their early skills. However, limited use is made of the outdoor area to extend and develop children’s physical, social and language skills. 12 and 13 January 2022

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Daily story time helps pupils develop a love of stories. Teachers use good-quality texts in all classes to support pupils’ reading development. Pupils have daily reading lessons, and phonics is taught from the outset. Books match pupils’ abilities. However, a large number of pupils do not read regularly at home. While staff hear most pupils read in school during the week, there is not enough support given to the lowest-ability pupils. As a result, these pupils do not catch up quickly enough to become confident and fluent readers.

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Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive extra adult support in class or individually in the afternoon. Specialist support is also accessed for those with significant difficulties. However, sometimes, the work given to pupils is not well matched and resources do not help pupils achieve as well as they could.

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Not all staff have consistently high expectations of what pupils know and can do in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers overly repeat and cover previous work with the whole class rather than moving pupils on to new learning. This limits pupils’ progress and reduces the number who can reach the expected standards for their age.

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Most pupils behave well. Staff record all incidents in the school system. They also track pupils’ attendance carefully. Despite the pandemic, attendance is improving. This is because leaders have worked hard to reduce persistent absences and build positive relationships with parents. However, leaders do not analyse the data they collect for behaviour or attendance. Therefore, they do not know if these areas are improving or declining.

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Leaders have found creative ways to ensure that pupils have continued to experience a wide range of opportunities during the pandemic. For example, pupils enjoyed a virtual pantomime before Christmas. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) continues to help pupils respect each other and value differences. Pupils have a growing understanding of fundamental British values as this has been a recent focus area.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant about pupils’ safety. They receive regular safeguarding training and quizzes to check their knowledge. They know the local risks and are clear about what to do if they have a concern. Any concerns are reported swiftly. They are followed up well. Leaders make sure all staff undergo detailed employment checks. These checks are recorded clearly on a well-organised central record.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to stay safe as part of the curriculum. This includes learning about how to stay safe online. Visitors and collective worship sessions are also used to reinforce and share important safety messages. 12 and 13 January 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The implementation and assessment of foundation subjects within the recently redesigned curriculum are at an early stage. Leaders should ensure that they review curriculum implementation regularly to check that it is delivered as intended. The school’s agreed approach to assessment should also be implemented to determine how well pupils are achieving, pinpoint gaps in pupils’ knowledge and amend the curriculum where needed.  Opportunities for children in the early years to learn outdoors are not included in curriculum planning. This limits their progress in physical development and other areas of learning. Leaders should ensure that children have regular opportunities to undertake planned activities in a high-quality outside environment.  Staff do not regularly hear lower-ability pupils read. As a result, these pupils are not catching up quickly. Leaders should ensure that these pupils are given the

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

support needed to improve their reading skills in school and at home.  Most pupils with SEND are identified early and accurately. However, resources and adult support are not matched well enough to some pupils’ needs. As a result, these pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that suitable resources are well matched and adult support is targeted appropriately.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in reading, writing and mathematics are too low. As a result, not all pupils achieve as well as they should and standards remain low, including in the early years. Leaders should ensure that teachers move pupils on to more challenging work when they show they are ready in order to raise standards across the school.  Leaders do not analyse patterns of behaviour and attendance using the information they collect. Consequently, they are unable to explain whether these

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

aspects are improving or declining. Leaders should use this information to better detect any patterns or trends and evaluate whether the actions they have taken are effective.

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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 . 12 and 13 January 2022

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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. 12 and 13 January 2022

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School details

Website www.asna.walsall.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 8 and 9 June 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The principal left the school in September 2021. The vice-principal has been appointed as head of school and an executive principal from within St Chad’s Multi-Academy Trust has been seconded until April 2022.  The school was inspected under section 48 in 2017. The next inspection is due this year, but it is not known when this will happen due to the delay caused by the pandemic.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this inspection

This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 12 and 13 January 2022

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 The inspectors met with the executive principal, the head of school, the attendance and pastoral leader and subject leaders. Meetings were also held with members of the LAC and the chief education officer from the trust.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, English, mathematics, history and physical education. Inspection activities in these subjects included: lesson visits, discussion with staff and pupils, meeting with subject leaders and work scrutiny. The lead inspector also observed pupils reading.  The inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and plans for improvement. Minutes of partnership board meetings and summary reports were also scrutinised. Inspectors also looked at records of behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and talked to them informally about behaviour, bullying and welfare.

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 The inspectors talked to parents at the start of the school day and considered the responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and their free-text responses. They also reviewed the responses to the staff questionnaire and gathered the views of staff and pupils on site through discussion with these groups.

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Inspection team

Heather Simpson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 January 2022

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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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