Fibbersley Park Academy

Inspection of Fibbersley Park Academy Noose Lane, Willenhall, West Midlands WV13 3BB

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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 Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 25 and 26 April 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They welcome visitors with happy, smiling faces. Parents typically describe the school as being like a family. They enthusiastically talk about how their child quickly settled into school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and learning. Pupils meet these expectations by working hard and behaving well. Pupils enjoy their learning. However, some pupils do not attend school on time or often enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have warm, respectful relationships with staff and are caring towards each other. Many pupils thrive in this inclusive and nurturing environment. Pupils are happy and safe. If unkind or unacceptable behaviour happens, pupils trust adults to solve this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The Fibbersley passport travels alongside pupils during their time in school. Whether this be visiting the space centre or making pizza, there are lots of experiences to enjoy. Pupils value listening to each other over the school radio, celebrating events and being ‘stars of the week’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend a wide range of clubs, including sports, multimedia and food technology. They learn to play musical instruments such as the guitar and recorder. Pupils talk enthusiastically about visits linked to their learning and how these prepare them for life in modern Britain.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. They have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn and when they should learn it. They have set out the steps and knowledge that pupils will work through over time. Leaders have developed the expertise of all staff so that they understand the content of the curriculum. Where the curriculum is taught as intended, pupils achieve well. However, at times, some staff do not use ongoing assessment strategies to check whether pupils are learning the curriculum. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

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better?

Leaders, trustees and staff have a real passion for making a difference for pupils at this school. Leaders make sure that most pupils are well supported. Therefore, most pupils make good progress across the curriculum, although this is not yet reflected in current published outcomes. Pupils know and remember key information in most subjects and build their knowledge over time.

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better?

Leaders have developed a strong culture and love of reading across the school. This starts in the Nursery where there are a range of opportunities for children to listen to stories being read to them. As pupils move through the school, this love for reading grows. Pupils talked excitedly about the books they read and how teachers inspired them through class stories. Pupils are enthusiastic about the school library 25 and 26 April 2023

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and the range of books they can take home to read and enjoy. Pupils benefit from a clear phonics programme. Books are well matched to the sounds pupils are learning. If pupils are unsure at any point, staff quickly notice and put the right support in place. This allows pupils to gain confidence and to learn to read well.

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Staff accurately identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in a range of ways. This includes using overlays and larger print which help pupils to read. However, the curriculum is not thought through for a minority of pupils with SEND. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not access the curriculum easily and do not achieve as well as they could. Pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHC plan) receive the right care, attention and support to meet their needs. As a result, these pupils achieve well.

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Working together is a strong feature of this school. This begins in the early years where children are fully engaged in learning and play cooperatively together. Staff teach key vocabulary to the children and show them how to use these words in their learning. This allows children to be successful. Children show great care and consideration for each other.

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Pupils relate to each other well during playtimes and lunchtimes. Some pupils access a range of activities in the Oasis and Hub lunchtime clubs. Here, they have access to a range of activities that help them to be ready to learn.

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Leaders know families and pupils well. Pupils across the school benefit from a well- planned programme of nurture and family support. Leaders take every opportunity to remind families about the importance of regular school attendance. This is making a difference for some pupils. However, there are still too many pupils who do not arrive on time or attend school regularly enough.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a clear culture of safeguarding at the school. Strong care and support systems are in place. Leaders have positive relationships with external partners. This helps pupils to get the right help at the right time. Leaders have made the right checks to ensure that staff are safe to work in school. They have made sure that staff know what to look for and how to report any concerns they may have. Staff are vigilant. Pupils feel safe and know what to do and who to go to for help if they have any concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, pupils do not learn effectively because teachers do not address misconceptions swiftly. Where this is the case, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should make sure that all teachers have the support and 25 and 26 April 2023

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training they need so that activities help pupils make better progress.  Activities for some pupils with SEND are not well matched to their needs. As a result, some pupils with SEND are unable to catch up quickly and work alongside their peers. Leaders should make sure that teachers provide activities for pupils with SEND which enable pupils to build on what they already know.  Many pupils’ attendance remains too low. These pupils do not achieve as well as they could or access the wider opportunities on offer. Leaders need to continue to build on their work with families so that families understand the importance of pupils attending well.

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Website www.fibbersleyparkacademy.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 and 13 September 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Victoria Academies Trust and joined in 2016.  The school has completed an expansion and is now a three-form entry school.  Leaders have created an internal resource provision, ‘The Cove’, for pupils with specific SEND. Fourteen pupils with an EHC plan currently attend this provision. Pupils access learning in other classes as appropriate.  The school provides before and after-school childcare on site.  Leaders do not use alternative provision.

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and senior leaders.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the Victoria Academies Trust, including the chair of trustees, academy councillors and the chief executive officer.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics, history and music. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, met with some teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work in other subjects, including science and personal, social, health and economic education.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons at different times of the day and playtimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as

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talking to pupils in lessons and around school.  Inspectors met with leaders about the school’s safeguarding procedures.  Inspectors reviewed policies and records relating to safeguarding, bullying, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors spoke to pupils and staff about pupils’ safety.  The lead inspector reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans and information on the school’s website.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils and staff to gather general information about school life. In addition, they took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff, pupils and parents. An inspector spoke with parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Rachel King, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gail Brindley Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 April 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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