Scout Road Academy

Inspection of a good school: Scout Road Academy Scout Road, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 5JR

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Scout Road Academy is a caring and welcoming school. Pupils are respectful of each other. They say that they feel safe. Pupils behave well in class. They are rewarded with house points when they show kindness or determination. They are able to use ‘worry boxes’ to let adults know if they want to speak to someone. Pupils inspectors spoke to said that bullying happens very rarely in the school. Some pupils act as ‘anti-bullying champions’ and encourage everyone to be kind. One parent represented the views of many when they said: ‘My child enjoys his time at school. He is given the support and care he needs.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has strong links with the local community. For example, pupils have taken part in a heritage railway project to help them to understand the history of the area. Pupils have also studied the work of a local artist and displayed their own art in the school grounds so the community can see it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils take part in interesting activities, for example in the much- loved forest school. However, leaders’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not high enough. Leaders have not thought carefully about what they want pupils to know and remember in some subjects. Pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects.

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

Leaders place high importance on developing pupils’ love of reading. Leaders have created exciting areas in the school’s library, and in classrooms, where pupils can choose books. Pupils enjoy listening to adults read to them. Leaders have provided training for staff to ensure that the reading curriculum is delivered well. Staff benefit from regular coaching sessions with leaders. Most pupils who need help to catch up in reading receive 27 January 2022

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it. Leaders use the catch-up premium to provide after-school tuition for pupils who have gaps in their reading knowledge because of COVID-19. These pupils are catching up quickly.

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Leaders have introduced a new curriculum for mathematics which sets out carefully the important content that pupils need to learn. Teachers explain new ideas and concepts clearly. They provide effective help in lessons to those pupils who are struggling with new learning. However, teachers are not delivering the new curriculum fully. They do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to apply their learning through reasoning and problem-solving activities. Some pupils, including those in the early years, do not develop the depth of knowledge in mathematics that they should.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff break down tasks into smaller steps or provide additional explanation or equipment to help these pupils to understand what they are learning.

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Leaders are in the process of evaluating and improving the curriculum for subjects other than English and mathematics. They have begun to create a new curriculum that details the end points that they want pupils to achieve in subjects in the wider curriculum. In some subjects, however, leaders have not considered in enough detail the smaller chunks of knowledge that pupils should learn as they move towards the end points. As a result, pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge that they should. Teachers do not check regularly to ensure that pupils remember what they have been taught in subjects in the wider curriculum.

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There are a range of opportunities for pupils to be active citizens in school. Pupils can apply to be prefects. They are given responsibility for leading assemblies and showing visitors around the school. Leaders have focused on supporting pupils’ mental health following the disruption to school caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has helped pupils to demonstrate positive attitudes to learning.

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While behaviour in lessons is good, some pupils occasionally use inappropriate language, including discriminatory language, on the playground. Some pupils are concerned that some adults do not address incidents of inappropriate language effectively. Because of this, some pupils are reluctant to report it to adults.

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Pupils understand that all people should be treated equally. They are taught about different faiths and issues such as racism. However, pupils who spoke to inspectors did not demonstrate a suitable depth of understanding about the things that make people different.

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Trustees have recognised the need for them to understand more about the quality of education in the school so that they are better able to hold school leaders to account. They have recently introduced regular meetings with subject leaders and have formed an additional committee to look in detail at the quality of education in the school. Trustees have rightly challenged school leaders to develop an assessment system for subjects in the wider curriculum. 27 January 2022

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Staff are proud to work in the school and feel well supported by leaders. Staff say that leaders are considerate of their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make appropriate checks on the suitability of staff who work in the school. Staff receive regular training to ensure they understand the risks to pupils’ safety. Staff raise any concerns with the school’s designated safeguarding leaders (DSL) promptly. DSLs act appropriately, involving parents and other agencies as necessary. Staff keep thorough records of their actions.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught about some of the risks they might face on and offline. Pupils also learn about healthy relationships and consent, to help to protect them from harm.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not identified the smaller components of knowledge that pupils should learn in some subjects across the wider curriculum. As a result, teachers do not plan sequences of lessons that allow pupils to develop the depth of knowledge in these subjects that they should. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum sets out precisely what pupils should learn, and in what order, from the early years to Year 6. Leaders should also consider how they will check to make sure that pupils remember the important knowledge they need in order to be ready for the next stage of their education.  Teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to reason mathematically and solve problems. As a result, pupils do not make connections between their mathematical knowledge to achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that all pupils, including those in the early years, have opportunities to deepen their

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

mathematical understanding by applying this through problem-solving and reasoning.  Some staff do not follow the school’s behaviour policy when dealing with pupils using inappropriate language. Some pupils do not have confidence that staff will challenge the use of inappropriate language and so do not report it to adults. Leaders should ensure that procedures for tackling inappropriate language are robust and used by all staff. 27 January 2022

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Background

When we have judged a school to be 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 school to be good in November 2016.

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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.

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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. 27 January 2022

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 November 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a stand-alone academy.  The principal took up post on a permanent basis in September 2021, having been the acting principal in the previous academic year.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal and members of the academy leadership team.  Inspectors undertook deep dives in early reading, mathematics 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 spoke to pupils about their learning in religious education and personal, social and health education. 27 January 2022

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 A range of documents were reviewed, including documents relating to safeguarding and the school’s single central record.  Inspectors reviewed minutes of trust board meetings and spoke to representatives of the board of trustees.  Inspectors spoke to parents informally on the playground at the start of the school day.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and spoke to parents informally at the end of the school day.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Tim Scargill-Knight, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Bentley Ofsted Inspector 27 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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