Tuckswood Academy

Inspection of Tuckswood Academy and Nursery Tuckswood Centre, Tuckswood, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 6BP

p.1

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 Requires improvement 21 and 22 April 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being at Tuckswood Academy and are happy here. They benefit from a caring school culture. Many pupils come from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds. At school they get the support they may lack elsewhere. Pupils are safe and appreciate the kindness of staff.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is mostly calm. However, some lessons are disrupted by less positive behaviour because some pupils do not understand what is expected of them. Bullying is not common, and pupils are comfortable approaching staff to share any worries.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in early years, do not benefit from an effective curriculum. They do well in English and mathematics, but in other areas, the curriculum content and delivery do not help pupils remember what they have learned so they can use it to help them learn more.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a range of opportunities for personal development. They go on regular trips to build on what they learn in class. Pupils go to clubs, for instance yoga, comic books and sports. That said, some of these have been on pause during the pandemic. Pupils learn how to be caring and responsible citizens, such as by helping to stock the local food bank.

p.2

better?

In the main, leaders identify the most important knowledge pupils should learn. In some aspects of the curriculum, pupils build up rich knowledge. For example, they learn the difficult vocabulary in texts they are reading.

p.2

better?

Leaders prioritise reading throughout the school. They have ensured the phonics programme is effectively implemented. Leaders think carefully about the books pupils will read and the knowledge pupils need to understand them. Staff are well trained and confident in teaching reading. Leaders make sure pupils get the help they need to learn to read quickly and fluently. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Consequently, pupils in all year groups see reading as both important and a pleasure. For example, Year 5 pupils describe the books they read with considerable enthusiasm.

p.2

better?

Teachers are beginning to successfully deliver what leaders intend. In some areas of the curriculum, they do this well. Pupils are proud of what they know, for instance their ability to multiply complex fractions. However, in other areas, teachers do not check what pupils know and remember effectively. Consequently, pupils do not remember enough of what they learn and have gaps in their knowledge. Pupils are not sufficiently well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Leaders know this and have put in place actions to address it. However, it is too early to judge the impact of these. 21 and 22 April 2022

p.2

3

In the early years, leaders identify the end goals they want children to achieve to be able to access Year 1 well. However, leaders do not break down the knowledge children need in all areas of learning. For example, when children learn through play, the activities are not consistently planned effectively enough based on what children know and can do. This results in gaps in their learning and so they are not able to increase their knowledge securely.

p.3

3

Pupils with SEND get appropriate help to access the same curriculum as others. Leaders are knowledgeable and liaise well with agencies to ensure pupils get the support they need. Leaders make sure staff know how to help these pupils effectively. However, as with all pupils, the curriculum pupils with SEND receive is not supporting them well enough. Consequently, while leaders are managing many of the barriers to learning effectively, pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they might.

p.3

3

Leaders have improved some aspects of behaviour. The number of behaviour incidents has fallen, and suspensions have reduced. However, leaders have not established clear enough expectations for managing behaviour. Teachers do not follow the behaviour policy consistently. Teachers do not always deal with misbehaviour effectively. When this happens, pupils’ learning is disrupted.

p.3

3

Leaders have recently reviewed the content of their curriculum for personal development. Pupils learn about respect and to understand others different from themselves. However, they do not apply this enough in their day-to-day lives. This does not help pupils to develop the right attitudes that lead to better behaviour.

p.3

3

The trust does not support leaders as well as it could. Trustees do not ensure they use information about the school’s provision effectively enough. Consequently, their challenge and support of leaders’ work do not always bring about needed improvement. While this is the case overall for the quality of education, the trust has supported leaders well in some areas of the curriculum, such as reading.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have established a vigilant culture of safeguarding. They train staff thoroughly in how to spot and report concerns. Leaders know the potential risks that come from the local area. They do a lot of work to address these, particularly supporting the most vulnerable families.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders deal effectively with safeguarding concerns. They have put in place rigorous processes to ensure information does not get missed. Leaders keep detailed records and liaise promptly with agencies when needed.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders teach pupils how to stay safe. Pupils learn, for example, about staying safe online and talk knowledgeably about this. 21 and 22 April 2022

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the curriculum, teachers do not use assessment effectively to deliver their teaching based on what pupils know and remember. Consequently, pupils have gaps in what they know. Leaders must ensure teachers are sufficiently well trained so they know how to use assessment to help pupils remember what they have been taught in all areas of the curriculum.  Leaders have not put in place a well-designed curriculum in the early years. As a result, staff do not match activities well enough to what children need to know. Leaders must implement a curriculum for the early years that identifies the key knowledge to be learned and assessed so that children are well prepared for key stage 1.  Leaders have not ensured staff follow the behaviour policy consistently. This means teachers do not respond effectively to low-level disruption, and there is disruption to learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers get the training they

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

need to know how to apply the behaviour policy consistently and well so that they manage any misbehaviour effectively and pupils are able to focus on their learning.  While leaders have reviewed the curriculum for personal development, it is not effective enough at helping pupils apply their understanding of respect to their day-to-day lives. Because of this, pupils do not develop the knowledge they could of how to behave with respect towards others. Leaders need to ensure the curriculum teaches pupils how to develop a more secure understanding of and respect for others.  Trustees do not ensure they know what they need to about leaders’ work. Therefore, they do not hold leaders to account well enough for the quality of their work. Trustees need to ensure they use information more effectively so that they are able to successfully challenge and support leaders, holding them to account for school improvement.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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 . 21 and 22 April 2022

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.5

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. 21 and 22 April 2022

p.5

School details

Website tuckswoodacademy.co.uk Date of previous inspection 20 and 21 February 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.6

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Boudica Schools Trust. This has changed its name from Rightforsuccess Multi-Academy Trust since the previous inspection.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

p.6

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.6

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 held meetings with trust executive leaders, senior leaders, other leaders, staff, pupils and those responsible for governance, including the chair of the trust and other trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke 21 and 22 April 2022

p.6

7

to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. In early reading, this took the form of listening to pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also considered other subjects, particularly geography, design and technology and personal, social and health education, as part of their evaluation of the quality of education.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors checked the school’s single central record, considered its safeguarding policy and procedures and spoke to leaders, staff, parents and pupils.  Inspectors reviewed the three responses that were submitted by parents to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and two free-text responses submitted during the inspection. Inspectors considered the 25 responses to the staff survey and the 46 responses to the pupil survey.

p.7

Inspection team

Charlie Fordham, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Stephen Cloke Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 April 2022

p.7

8

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.

p.8

8

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

8

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

8

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

8

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8