Lift Hazelwood

Inspection of Hazelwood Academy Stokesay Drive, Toothill, Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 8DR

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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 Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Suzanne Lloyd. This school is part of Academies Enterprise Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rebecca Boomer- Clark, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Hall. There is also a regional education director, Chris Taylor, who is responsible for this school and four others. 1 and 2 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s aim is to equip pupils with the knowledge they need now and for the future. Pupils enjoy their learning. They talk with interest about what they have learned and how this helps them. Pupils are resilient in their attitudes to learning. They know that sometimes learning can be tricky, but that it gets easier over time. They value the help and support that teachers give them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well-mannered and polite. They understand the expectations for behaviour. Pupils recognise how the school’s ‘Golden Bees’ – ‘be safe, be respectful and be ready’ – help them to know how to behave. Pupils recognise how the rewards and recognition they receive for positive behaviour motivate them to do well and to try their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in school, in the community and online. They learn about looking after their mental health. Pupils appreciate opportunities to be calm and peaceful. Pupils know that there are adults in school to help them if they have a worry. As a result, pupils feel safe.

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better?

The school is highly ambitious for all pupils. Through the support of the trust, the school has developed the design of the curriculum. The curriculum design identifies what the school wants pupils to learn and remember in each subject.

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better?

The school has developed a range of strategies to check what pupils know and remember. In most subjects, this is used well to identify where there are any gaps in pupils’ understanding. Teachers use this to inform next steps in pupils’ learning. As a result, pupils’ knowledge and understanding build on what they have learned in previous lessons.

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better?

In some foundation subjects, the new curriculum has only recently been introduced. In these subjects, pupils have a less secure understanding of their previous learning. Assessment is not yet effective in identifying what pupils know and can do. As a result, some pupils struggle to recall what they have learned previously.

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better?

Leaders describe reading as ‘the gateway’ to pupils’ learning across the curriculum. The most recent published outcomes for reading at the end of key stage 2 were lower than other subjects. However, the school has ensured that reading is a priority. It has introduced a new phonics scheme. Children learn to read as soon as they start school. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. However, there is some inconsistency in teaching in phonics. Misconceptions are not always identified and addressed. This means that some pupils make the same errors and do not always get the help they need to read fluently and to develop their understanding of the phonics code. 1 and 2 November 2023

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The school has introduced a new reading curriculum. This ensures that pupils have access to a wide variety of high-quality texts. Pupils enjoy reading. They talk enthusiastically about books they have read, and their favourite authors and genres. In the early years, children enjoy learning songs and rhymes and listening to stories.

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The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities in a timely way. This ensures that pupils receive the support that they need. Teachers adapt learning to help all pupils to learn the intended curriculum. This includes providing additional resources or breaking down the learning into smaller steps when needed.

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The school environment is calm. Pupils behave sensibly in lessons. This starts in the early years, where children quickly learn the expectations and routines. Most parents are positive about the school. They say that children feel safe and happy at the school and are well cared for. The school works closely with parents to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. As a result, attendance is improving.

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The personal development curriculum helps pupils to learn how to become responsible citizens. They treat one another with respect. They understand the importance of equality and inclusion by treating everyone fairly. Pupils extend their learning through trips and visits which provide memorable learning experiences. The ‘Votes for Schools’ programme provides pupils with opportunities for discussion and debate. This helps them to learn how to consider opinions that are different from their own.

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The school is well supported by the trust. The trust understands the school’s strengths and what it needs to improve. Staff are positive about the support they receive from the school. They appreciate the training and development opportunities they receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In the wider curriculum, assessment is not used precisely enough to check what pupils know and can do. As a result, in some foundation subjects, pupils do not build their knowledge as securely as they do in others. The trust should ensure that systems and processes are in place so that teachers check and identify how well pupils know and remember the intended curriculum over time.  The phonics curriculum is not yet fully implemented effectively. Some pupils’ misconceptions are not identified and addressed. As a result, some pupils do not learn to read as well as they could. The trust needs to ensure that all staff teach phonics effectively so that all pupils learn to read fluently. 1 and 2 November 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 1 and 2 November 2023

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CEO of the trust

Date of previous inspection 5 June 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Hazelwood Academy is part of Academies Enterprise Trust.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.  The school has a nursery, which includes provision for two-year-olds.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 1 and 2 November 2023

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other members of the school’s senior leadership team. They also held meetings with members of the trust’s executive team.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work. The inspectors also reviewed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View online survey. They also spoke with parents at the end of the school day. The inspectors

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considered the responses to surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.

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Inspection team

Nicky McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Katie Brockway Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 November 2023

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