Goldington Academy

Inspection of Goldington Academy Haylands Way, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK41 9BX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 1 and 2 February 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They enthuse about it to their parents, who know that they feel safe and happy. Pupils have many subjects to choose from, so everyone gets a chance to shine. They know that leaders have very high expectations of what they can achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school recently changed from being a middle school. Pupils said that leaders have kept the best things about the old school, but made it even better. This is because leaders have kept a sharp focus on making teaching even more effective.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that leaders seek out their opinions, and those of other members of the school, including teachers and parents. Leaders listen carefully to what they are told and make improvements as a result.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have wonderful opportunities to contribute to their school and they are inspired by the wide range of high-quality clubs and societies they regularly attend. They are incredibly well prepared for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ ‘life-skills’ lessons are expertly planned and delivered. Pupils learn the importance of treating others with respect. This helps shape their positive conduct, and they behave and attend well. If they encounter poor behaviour such as bullying, they are confident it will be dealt with effectively.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have developed a rich key stage 4 curriculum from scratch. They have recruited expert teachers to deliver it. They ensure that every pupil is ambitious in the range of subjects they choose.

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better?

Subject leaders plan learning carefully. They design lessons which ensure that pupils undertake a range of interesting tasks. Teachers supported pupils well during the national lockdowns, and helped pupils to hit the ground running on their return. However, not all teachers check how much pupils have remembered from previous lessons or help them enough to remember new content.

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better?

Leaders thoroughly and precisely evaluate everything that goes on in the school. They know its strengths. They put relevant training in place where they need to sharpen practice further. They particularly focus on training to make teaching in each subject even stronger. Leaders’ communication with all members of the school community is excellent. For example, leaders listen carefully to what staff tell them about workloads. This helps them to support the staff’s well-being effectively. 1 and 2 February 2022

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Leaders have overseen the improvement of facilities to support learning. These include a well-used new library. Leaders have introduced initiatives to strengthen the position of reading across the curriculum. This includes extra help for the weakest readers.

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Governors are highly skilled. They do not take the information that leaders give them at face value. They interrogate it thoroughly. Their expert questioning ensures that the curriculum is meeting the needs of all the pupils in the school.

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Personal development is a great strength. The range of leadership opportunities for pupils is exceptional. They act as ambassadors for anti-bullying and restorative justice. They help other pupils put into practice what they learn in the curriculum about positive physical and mental well-being. Every subject area has its own ambassadors. They make a real difference. For example, geography ambassadors work actively to improve the environment of the school site.

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All pupils receive effective careers advice. They learn about the world of work and what qualifications they need for different careers. Since the school has had Year 11 pupils, each one has moved successfully to the next stage of their education or employment.

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Relationships between teachers and pupils are excellent. It is very unusual for poor behaviour to get in the way of learning. Most pupils develop very positive attitudes to their lessons and, as a result, push themselves to take advantage of every learning opportunity. However, a small number of boys do not always show the same level of consistent application as their peers.

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The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Leaders ensure that teachers understand the best strategies for every pupil with SEND. This helps these pupils to thrive and flourish studying the same curriculum as their peers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All members of the school community prioritise safeguarding. Staff know to report all concerns, however minor. Safeguarding concerns are followed up swiftly, so that pupils and families get the support they need. All staff are well trained.

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Safeguarding

Leaders communicate well with external agencies. Leaders check the off-site alternative provision they use. Governors understand their responsibility for safeguarding, and ensure that it is undertaken effectively.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is thoroughly covered in the curriculum. For example, pupils are tested on their e-safety knowledge. Concerns arising from the local community are addressed effectively through assemblies. 1 and 2 February 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all teachers systematically check how much pupils have remembered from previous lessons, or place enough emphasis on helping them to remember key knowledge and skills. Consequently, pupils sometimes struggle to integrate new knowledge into the themes and ideas they covered previously. Leaders should work with teachers in order to develop strategies to ensure that pupils are given sufficient opportunity to remember and recall key information in lessons.  A small proportion of boys do not display the same positive attitudes to learning as most other pupils. As a result, their work is of a variable quality and they do not make the same progress as their peers. Leaders should work with teachers in order to develop a range of effective strategies to ensure that they engage and motivate all pupils.

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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. 1 and 2 February 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10210940 Type of school Secondary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 June 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the school was previously inspected it has undergone significant change. It was a 9 to 12 middle school. It is now an 11 to 16 secondary school.  The school is a single-academy trust, Goldington Academy Trust.  The school uses one registered 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

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the principal and other senior leaders.  Inspectors met with the chair of the trust and three other members of the trust board. 1 and 2 February 2022

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 Deep dives were carried out in English, mathematics, science, geography, modern foreign languages and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects. They spoke to the special educational needs coordinator and pastoral leaders.  Inspectors spoke to early career teachers and those who support their induction into the school.  Inspectors evaluated the information available on the school’s website, including school policies, curriculum plans and information available for parents.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss the arrangements in place to safeguard all members of the school community. The checks leaders make on the suitability of staff were scrutinised, and records were

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checked.  Inspectors reviewed records of behaviour, including incidents of bullying. They scrutinised information about attendance. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes.  The inspectors reviewed 63 responses to Ofsted Parent View. They also reviewed the 35 free-text comments that parents submitted during the inspection. The inspectors also considered 38 responses to the staff survey and 82 responses to the pupil survey. Inspectors met with members of staff and spoke with pupils to gather their views on the school.

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Inspection team

Paul Lawrence, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Shan Oswald Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 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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