Hodgson Academy

Inspection of Hodgson Academy Moorland Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire FY6 7EU

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Hodgson Academy as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection of the predecessor school. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hodgson Academy is a calm and orderly learning community where pupils are happy and polite. Pupils value the positive relationships that staff have forged with them. They said that this helps them to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond well to leaders’ and teachers’ high expectations of their behaviour and achievement. In most lessons, pupils demonstrate strong attitudes towards their learning, and they enjoy studying a broad range of subjects. Most pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Around school, pupils show acts of kindness towards each other through the ‘Hodgson hello’. Pupils told inspectors that this is a school where everyone is valued for who they are. They aspire to take on the many leadership and school ambassador roles available to them. Pupils wear their achievement badges with pride. Leaders, staff and pupils ensure that bullying is not tolerated. Staff deal with any incidents of bullying effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking part in a vast range of extra-curricular activities to enhance their wider development. These activities include sports, music, coding, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the biannual chess tournament and the animal club. Pupils also learn about how to care for their physical and mental health.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop an awareness of local and global issues, which helps to broaden and deepen their understanding of the world. They contribute positively to their local community, for example through charity events to support the homeless and the elderly.

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better?

Leaders, including governors, have high aspirations for the achievement of all pupils at Hodgson Academy.

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better?

Leaders are continually developing and refining their curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious for all pupils. As a result, most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. At key stage 4, almost all pupils follow the suite of subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate.

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better?

In most subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the detailed knowledge that pupils should learn and in which order this knowledge should be taught. These subject curriculums are well organised. Teachers provide frequent opportunities for pupils to revisit their learning. Added to this, teachers identify and address gaps in pupils’ learning swiftly. This helps pupils to remember, practise and build on what they already know.

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better?

In a small number of subjects, leaders’ curriculum thinking is less well developed. In these subjects, teachers are not as clear about the knowledge that pupils should 30 November and 1 December 2022

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learn. This means that some pupils do not deepen their knowledge as effectively as they should.

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Leaders have ensured that teachers are supported well to further develop their strong subject knowledge. Mostly, teachers select appropriate activities that help pupils to learn the curriculum well. Where the curriculum is less well developed, there are occasions when teachers do not support pupils to address the gaps in their knowledge quickly enough. This sometimes slows pupils’ learning.

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Leaders quickly and accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND. They ensure that teachers receive detailed information about the needs of these pupils. Teachers use this information skilfully to support pupils with SEND during lessons.

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Leaders prioritise reading across the school. They take prompt action to identify pupils who find reading more difficult. Leaders support these pupils well to ensure that they can fully access the curriculum. Teachers instil a love of reading in pupils. Leaders and teachers help pupils to develop their wider communication skills and subject-specific vocabulary.

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Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and around school. Disruption to learning is rare.

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Leaders care deeply about preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. They ensure that all pupils have access to a rich and vibrant personal development programme that is frequently refined in response to local and world events. Pupils celebrate diversity. They learn about the importance of equality and tolerance. Leaders ensure that these key themes are woven powerfully through other areas of the curriculum.

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Pupils access an extensive and well-designed programme of careers education, information, advice and guidance. They benefit from strong links with a broad range of employers. Leaders ensure that all pupils make informed decisions about their futures.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the thought that leaders give to their well-being and workload. Governors know the school well and provide effective support and challenge to leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand the risks that pupils may face in the community. Leaders ensure that all pupils are taught about how to keep themselves and others safe. Pupils are taught how to stay safe online and how to develop healthy relationships.

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Safeguarding

Staff and governors access regular safeguarding training. Staff know how to report any concerns that they may have about pupils’ safety and welfare. Leaders engage 30 November and 1 December 2022

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well with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the timely support that they need.

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Pupils are confident that there is an adult in school with whom they can speak if they are worried.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, teachers are not clear enough about some of the key knowledge that they should deliver. This prevents pupils from gaining the depth of knowledge that they could. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking in these remaining few subjects so that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, can achieve as highly as they should.  In the small number of subjects where the curriculum is still in development, there are times when teachers do not address pupils’ misconceptions quickly enough. Occasionally, this leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge and slows their progress through the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that teachers support all pupils to address gaps in their knowledge.

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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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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. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,120

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Hodgson Academy converted to become an academy school in February 2012. When its predecessor school, Hodgson School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  A small number of pupils attend alternative provision at one registered and one unregistered provider.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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 Inspectors held meetings with the local governing body, the school improvement partner and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors also met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and other staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, geography, design and technology, art and design and physical education. They visited a sample of lessons in these subjects, discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, reviewed pupils’ work and held discussions with teachers and pupils.  Inspectors spoke with leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school and their views of behaviour and bullying. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentary evidence, including leaders’

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improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  An inspector looked at safeguarding policies and reviewed leaders’ records of checks on the suitability of staff and governors. They met with the leaders who have overall responsibility for safeguarding. Inspectors spoke with staff and pupils about leaders’ work to keep pupils safe.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and Ofsted’s online survey for pupils. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included some free-text responses.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.

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Inspection team

Andy Cunningham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gil Bourgade Ofsted Inspector 30 November and 1 December 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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