Fosse Way Academy

Inspection of a good school: Fosse Way Academy Ash Grove, North Hykeham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 8DU

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Outcome

Fosse Way Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this inclusive school. They talk about the school’s values with confidence. Leaders ensure that pupils ‘grow, learn, believe and succeed’. Pupils understand and follow the school rules. They behave well throughout the school day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils know how to report any concerns that they may have. This can be through the ‘worry monsters’ or having an identified adult to talk to. Some pupils access ‘The Nest’. They value the time that they spend talking to trusted adults about their feelings. Pupils say that they feel safe. They understand what bullying is. Pupils say that if bullying does happen, leaders soon deal with it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ learning. Pupils live up to these. In lessons, they strive to do their best. They are delighted when they receive awards in assemblies for working hard or being kind.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of activities on offer to them. These range from visits to local residential homes, where pupils play games with the residents, to sports clubs and art projects. They relish the opportunities that they have to be ‘mini-police’ and junior road safety officers. Pupils feel that they make a difference to their school.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum from the early years to Year 6. They have identified the precise knowledge that they want pupils to learn over time. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), experience a broad and balanced curriculum. Children in the early years build a firm foundation for future learning. They leave the Reception Year fully prepared for their learning in key stage 1.

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

Teachers, including subject leaders, have strong knowledge of the subjects that they teach. They are well trained to deliver the curriculum effectively. Teachers use their 13 and 14 March 2023

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expertise to identify pupils who may need further support. In lessons, pupils use teachers’ videos to help them revisit key learning concepts. This contributes to most pupils achieving well. In subjects such as English and mathematics, leaders make regular checks on pupils’ learning. In some subjects, leaders have not checked the effectiveness of the curriculum. They do not know how well the intended curriculum is being delivered or the impact it is having on pupils knowing and remembering more over time.

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Leaders promote a love of reading. Staff ensure that pupils read a diverse range of texts. Staff use the training that they receive to enable them to teach phonics well. This starts in the early years. Children get off to a good start learning to read in Reception. Pupils enjoy listening to stories that their teachers read. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds that they are learning. Teachers check pupils’ learning, which helps to identify those who may find reading more difficult. Additional support is put in place to help them catch up.

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Leaders are ambitious for what pupils with SEND can achieve. These pupils take an active role in the life of the school. Staff know the pupils well. They use this knowledge to provide the support that pupils need to access the same curriculum as their peers. The pastoral support for pupils with SEND is a strength of the school. Pupils are happy and achieve well.

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Staff not only support pupils, but their families too. They provide a range of parent workshops. Parents value the time that they can spend with staff to discuss any concerns that they may have. Parents are as important as the pupils at Fosse Way.

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Pupils display positive attitudes to their learning. Low-level disruption in lessons is rare. Teachers have positive relationships with pupils. They want them to achieve well. However, teachers’ expectations of the quality of pupils’ work in their books are not as high as they could be. Not all pupils take pride in their work. This sometimes leads to pupils making mistakes.

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Leaders have developed a personal development curriculum that ensures that pupils are well rounded citizens. Pupils learn about different types of families and cultures. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They appreciate the leadership opportunities that they have. These experiences develop pupils’ confidence, resilience, and social skills.

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Governors have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and what needs to improve. Together, with leaders, they have focused on staff well-being. Staff, including those who are new to teaching, feel well supported and valued by leaders. They appreciate the consideration that leaders give to managing their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive up to date and frequent safeguarding training. This enables them to identify and report any concerns quickly. Leaders work well with external agencies to ensure that 13 and 14 March 2023

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pupils and their families receive the support and help that they may need. Staff record any concerns about a pupil’s welfare diligently.

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Leaders make appropriate checks to ensure that adults are suitable to work with children. Governors make regular checks to ensure that safeguarding record-keeping is robust.

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Pupils know how to identify risks and keep themselves safe. They understand the importance of sharing any worries that they might have with a trusted adult.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have reviewed the curriculum to make sure that it sequences the knowledge and skills that pupils will gain. Some subject leaders are new and have not had the time to be able to effectively monitor their subjects. They are, therefore, unsure as to how well the curriculum is being implemented and the impact it is having. Leaders should ensure that the subject leaders gain the necessary knowledge and time to effectively check the implementation and impact of the curriculum on pupils’ ability to know and remember more over time.  Teachers do not have high enough expectations for the quality of pupils’ work in their books. This means that some pupils make errors and work is poorly presented. Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently have high expectations for how pupils present their work in all subjects.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2017.

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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. 13 and 14 March 2023

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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. 13 and 14 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10227881 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 and 29 March 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and a range of staff, including early career teachers.  The inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, the inspector reviewed school policies, procedures, and records. The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and spoke with staff, governors and pupils about the school’s approach to keeping pupils safe.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, spoke

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with teachers, and spoke with pupils about their learning. The inspector visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. She observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school. She considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. The inspector met with groups of staff and pupils and considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Norbury, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 March 2023

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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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