Crispin School Academy

Inspection of a good school: Crispin School Academy Church Road, Street, Somerset BA16 0AD

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Outcome

Crispin School Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Crispin School Academy is warm and welcoming. Pupils form strong relationships with staff. They are known as individuals. Pupils experience a broad and interesting curriculum that prepares them well for their next steps. Leaders are aspirational for what pupils can achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The majority of pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. They are keen to do well and demonstrate the school’s values of aspiration, compassion and excellence. However, a minority of pupils do not always meet the high expectations of leaders. Pupils agree that bullying, and the use of derogatory language, is rare. Staff talk about it often to raise pupils’ awareness. Pupils say that they report any incidents and that staff take quick action.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are passionate about providing pupils with a rich set of experiences during their school life. For example, pupils go on residential trips and educational visits. These develop their confidence and support their understanding of the curriculum. Opportunities for pupils to be leaders or to make their views heard are plentiful. Head pupils are exceptionally proud to represent the school. They lead a team of their peers to work with senior leaders to bring about change.

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

Pupils follow an ambitious curriculum. For example, pupils study two languages as part of their key stage 3 experience. Subject leaders use educational research to inform their curriculum planning. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They use this to sequence units of work so that pupils are supported to build their knowledge over time. However, teachers’ use of assessment does not always check pupils’ understanding of the curriculum carefully enough.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn a full and challenging curriculum. They receive interventions and therapy provision to support their needs as 23 and 24 May 2023

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appropriate. Recent improvements are having a positive impact. For example, parents recognise that there have been improvements to the communication between school and home for their child.

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Through a school-wide reading programme, pupils read a range of thoughtfully chosen and diverse texts. Staff use these to extend pupils’ vocabulary and to promote reading for pleasure. Pupils recognise the benefits of this additional reading time. Pupils who find reading difficult receive the support they need. Staff with appropriate training deliver an effective phonics programme. This helps pupils to catch up quickly.

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The school is calm and orderly. Pupils are typically polite and follow the instructions of staff. Clear routines help most pupils to focus on their learning. However, some pupils find this more difficult to manage. This results in them being removed from lessons for a period of time.

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The personal development programme is a strength of the school. Pupils learn about topics such as drugs, healthy relationships and how to look after their mental health. They are introduced to these in an age-appropriate way, and discussions about them are encouraged. Pupils learn about inclusion, diversity and fundamental British values. They are introduced to beliefs and cultures that are different to their own. Pupils remember this learning and value its importance in the curriculum.

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Pupils benefit from a well-established careers programme. Pupils in Year 10 undertake meaningful work experience and take part in a careers interview. Pupils are positive about the information and guidance they receive. For example, there are career carousels from visiting employers and trips to a number of universities. Subject teachers signpost future career ideas through the curriculum.

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The majority of staff enjoy working at the school. Leaders consult with staff about potential changes and value their contributions. Early career teachers are positive about their experience of working at the school. However, a minority of staff say they would like further support with their workload and to manage the behaviour of some pupils.

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The newly established relationship with the trust is already benefiting the school. For example, working together on areas such as safeguarding is having a positive impact. Governors are proud to work with the school. They recognise some of the local and national challenges. They support leaders to find solutions, while also holding them to account for the impact of their actions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff receive regular and appropriate training. Staff know how to report any concerns about pupils’ welfare. They then take swift and effective action to keep pupils safe. 23 and 24 May 2023

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Leaders form strong partnerships with external services to ensure pupils and their families are well supported. They keep detailed records of all safeguarding incidents and communication with parents or other professionals.

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Pupils say they feel safe in school. They understand how to keep safe online. Leaders have put in place appropriate curriculum and school-wide policies and practice in relation to sexual harassment, online sexual abuse and sexual violence (including sexualised language) in and around the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers’ use of assessment does not always check pupils’ understanding of the curriculum carefully enough. As a result, pupils develop misconceptions, which hinders the build-up of knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that assessment is used effectively in all subjects so that pupils are supported to remember key knowledge.  A minority of pupils do not show positive attitudes towards their learning. Some staff, parents and pupils are concerned about the impact this has on other pupils’ learning. Leaders must support all pupils to develop positive attitudes to their learning.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2014.

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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.

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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. 23 and 24 May 2023

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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. 23 and 24 May 2023

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,045

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Wessex Learning Trust on 1 March 2023.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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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.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, members of the local governing body, the chief executive officer of the trust and members of the trust executive leadership team.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science 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. 23 and 24 May 2023

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record of adults working in the school. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to consider how well the school identifies pupils who are at risk and engages with external services. Inspectors also spoke with a range of pupils and staff about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents and carers, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to the staff survey and responses to the survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Kelly Olive, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jerry Giles Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 May 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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