Richard de Clare Community Academy

Inspection of Richard de Clare Community Academy Parsonage Street, Halstead, Essex CO9 2JT

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Inadequate 15 and 16 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Richard de Clare. They are clear about how changes over the last two years have made their school a better place. Pupils describe it as ‘brilliant’. School staff have consistent expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should behave. As a result, pupils work hard and there is little poor behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about a wide range of topics. They are able to build their learning on what has come before. They particularly enjoy reading non-fiction books linked to their geography and history topics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many clubs, including running, multi-skills and knitting. Pupils also benefit from a number of trips out and visitors to the school. They are polite and considerate of others. Pupils work together to raise money and understand the needs of others, championing events such as Red Nose Day and Down’s Syndrome Awareness Day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a warm relationship between staff and the pupils in their care. Where there is any unkind behaviour, staff sort it out quickly. Pupils say that there is no longer any bullying.

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better?

Over the last few years, there have been many changes to the curriculum, staffing and leadership. These changes are now embedded, which means that pupils at Richard de Clare are now experiencing a greater level of stability in staffing, and a good-quality education overall.

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better?

The curriculum is well planned and sequenced. This helps pupils to build new learning well on what has come before. There are some subjects, such as Spanish, where pupils have gaps from a lack of previous teaching. Teachers are now helping them make good progress.

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better?

In English and mathematics, pupils achieve well. Pupils write at length, with detail and interest. Teachers help pupils visualise their mathematics learning using practical equipment, for example in Year 6 learning about volume.

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better?

Pupils learn to read quickly because of the consistent approach in place. Anyone who is at risk of falling behind receives effective extra help in lessons or additional phonics teaching. The books pupils read are well matched to the sounds they know, and this motivates them to read more.

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better?

Leaders have invested in a long-term plan to improve the quality of the learning environment across the school. For example, the library/atrium redecoration has increased and improved the reading opportunities, especially for older pupils in Years 15 and 16 March 2022

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4 to 6. Leaders have plans underway to update the rest of the site so spaces can be fully effective in supporting high-quality learning.

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Children in Nursery make a strong start to their education due to the warm and welcoming environment and staff expertise. They have lots of opportunities for age-appropriate play, and also to develop mark-making and early understanding of sounds.

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However, the Reception provision does not support children’s learning as well as in Nursery. Children learn to read well, practising daily, but opportunities to develop early writing skills are more limited. Teachers have recently introduced more opportunities for them to practice writing their sounds and numbers, but children are not yet doing enough of this. Additionally, the outside space does not have the same high-quality resources as in the Nursery in order to encourage learning.

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The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified, and staff use detailed plans to ensure that pupils get the right support. A small proportion of parents remain concerned about the provision for their children. Leaders know there is more to do to work with some parents to ensure that they are involved in the planning for their children so that they understand and are confident in how the provision for their children is appropriate and effective.

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Behaviour in classes is focused and calm. Pupils understand the behaviour code and are motivated by the regular certificates and awards. They are encouraged to be independent and are considerate of each other. They demonstrate the positive values they are taught about. Pupils are taught about the importance of respect, for example when they learn about different cultures.

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The leadership of the school is now secure. A permanent headteacher is in place, ably supported by colleagues from the multi-academy trust to help further improve the school. Staff are very positive about the training and development that they have received. This has resulted in consistent approaches to teaching and behaviour. Teachers, including those early on in their career, feel well supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding children is held as high priority. Leaders and staff know the children well. They ensure that any concerns are followed through comprehensively. Regular training means that staff are kept up to date with their understanding of how to keep children safe.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have improved the site security. They make sure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe when out and about and online.

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Safeguarding

The trustees and intervention board check that leaders are implementing safeguarding policies to a high standard. 15 and 16 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not provide children in Reception sufficient opportunities to practise their learning. As a result, children in Reception are not making progress across aspects of the curriculum as well as they should be, most notably in early writing and number skills. The use of the outdoor area is also underdeveloped. Leaders need to ensure that all children have more opportunities to practice key skills in their play and other activities, both in the indoor and outdoor environment.  Despite many strengths in the provision for pupils with SEND, some parents remained concerned about the quality of support for their children’s learning and behaviour. Leaders should continue to work with parents to co-produce support for pupils so that parents have confidence and understanding in the provision being put in place for 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. 15 and 16 March 2022

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Dates of previous inspection

23 and 24 June 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Bridge Academy Trust in April 2021. It was previously part of the North Essex Multi-Academy Trust.  The last full inspection was in June 2019, when the school was deemed to be inadequate. Since then, there have been two monitoring inspections, plus two other visits from inspectors during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Since just after the last full inspection, the school has had an independent ‘intervention’ board. Two of the three members of this have remained on the trust intervention board under the new multi-academy trust. Plans are in place to replace this group with a local governing body.  The school operates over two sites, split by a public footbath. Currently, the smaller section on the far side of the path is occupied by Nursery, Reception and Year 1. All children access the main school site for assemblies, physical education and lunch.  At the time of the inspection, the head of school (headteacher as of April 2022)

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Information about this school

was being supported part-time by an executive headteacher. 15 and 16 March 2022

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There is a separately run, registered and inspected, breakfast, after-school and holiday club that operates on the school site.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into: reading, mathematics, modern foreign languages, physical education and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to pupils and staff about the curriculum in some other subjects and looked at samples of work.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record and a sample of safeguarding records. They spoke to staff, parents and pupils.  Inspectors met with the head of school, the executive headteacher and a wide range of other staff. They met with the chief executive officer, the trust primary director of education and the chair of the trust intervention board.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spent time observing playtimes.  Inspectors considered the 49 responses to the parents’ survey and the 25 responses to the staff’s survey.

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Inspection team

Tessa Holledge, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Darron Jackson Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 March 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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