Co-op Academy Northwood

Inspection of a good school: Northwood Broom Academy Keelings Road, Northwood, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST1 6QA

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Outcome

Northwood Broom Academy continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if the inspectors were to carry out a section 5 inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Northwood Broom Academy is a friendly, welcoming school. Superb leaders work hard to ensure that every child achieves the high aspirations set. Staff are passionate about their work and want the very best for all pupils. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are happy and feel safe at school. Bullying is not tolerated at this school. Leaders listen and are vigilant. They act swiftly to resolve any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created an exciting curriculum for pupils based on the ‘MAGIC’ learning behaviours. These are motivation, positive attitude, gumption, independence and communication. Pupils achieve well academically and personally. They gain wider experiences and develop their talents through a range of enrichment activities such as the Valentine Clay pottery project and dance extravaganza at the Victoria Hall Hanley.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are polite and courteous. Leaders have the highest expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils live and breathe the school values of caring, honesty, fairness, responsibility and respect for others. They talk about ‘incredible independence’ and ‘magic manners’. In classrooms, pupils are highly motivated and fully engaged in their learning. Pupils are encouraged to resolve issues by reflecting on their behaviour so that they can make better choices next time.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have thoughtfully created an ambitious curriculum for pupils. Learning is carefully sequenced. Pupils learn knowledge and vocabulary which they remember and build on. Leaders ensure that teachers receive the training they need to teach well. Teachers check pupils’ learning regularly and provide the right support to pupils who struggle or extra challenges to those who need to move on. Teaching is highly effective. Teachers have 2 and 3 February 2022

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high expectations of all pupils. They maintain consistent routines. As a result, pupils do well. Children in the early years build strong, effective relationships with adults. They are highly motivated and eager to join in activities. For example, nursery children carefully drilled holes in butternut squash and added seeds to make a bird feeder. They share and cooperate well. Staff have the skills and expertise needed to effectively meet the needs of the children. They show high levels of concentration and engagement in their learning. They enjoy songs and rhymes which help them to develop their speaking and listening skills. Children love reading. Staff are highly skilled and receive regular training in phonics. Phonics lessons are sharply focused and well structured. Leaders have ensured that teachers have the resources they need to teach reading well. Leaders have ensured that all subjects in the curriculum are carefully sequenced so that

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pupils build knowledge over time. Teachers plan the next steps carefully to meet pupils’ needs based on what pupils know and can do already. Pupils enjoy learning mathematics. They enjoy exploring different materials in science lessons. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils are supported effectively to access the same curriculum as other pupils in school. They achieve well. Parents are positive about the care and support their children receive.

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Leaders provide a rich set of varied experiences to promote pupils’ personal development. The school rules ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’ help pupils to understand right and wrong and how to keep themselves and others safe. They recognise and respect others’ differences. Everybody in school has the chance to be the best they can be. Activities such as trips and after-school clubs have been reinstated following the COVID-19 pandemic. Pupils talk excitedly about the forest school and dance club. Leaders engage with local businesses to enhance the opportunities they offer to pupils. Pupils enjoy fundraising for their chosen charity. They enjoy voting to select their preferred movie for ‘cinema night’. The pastoral team provides timely help and support to pupils and their families who need it.

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Governors and senior members of the Espirit Multi-Academy Trust have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. They have structures in place to support continuous school improvement. Staff say that they are well supported by leaders to manage their workload effectively. Any issues identified are resolved swiftly and appropriately. Staff value the high levels of well-being support from leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders understand their role in keeping children safe. They ensure staff attend regular safeguarding training. Staff record and report concerns swiftly, including child sexual harassment and neglect. Pupils learn about online safety and healthy relationships. They learn about safety in the home and the local community. 2 and 3 February 2022

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Leaders know their families and the community well. They secure help for pupils who need it in partnership with external agencies and the pastoral support team. Despite this, a small number of pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should.

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Leaders ensure the necessary safeguarding checks are undertaken before staff are appointed.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A very small minority of pupils, including a few who are new to the school, do not attend school regularly enough. This means that gaps emerge in their knowledge, and they struggle to develop positive attitudes to learning. Leaders should take further steps to ensure that pastoral support is effective so that attendance improves for these pupils.

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Background

When we have judged good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Northwood Broom Community School, to be good in March 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 2 and 3 February 2022

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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. 2 and 3 February 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector carried out this inspection under section 8 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 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in mathematics, reading and science. This included visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, examining curriculum documents and talking with pupils and staff. The inspector considered a sample of pupils’ work from other subjects, as well as information on the school’s website.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included examining the record of employment checks on school staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in class and at other times during the day. 2 and 3 February 2022

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 During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead, the early years leader, governors and the chief executive officer of the trust.  The inspector took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, the pupil survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 February 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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