Bure Park Specialist Academy

Inspection of Bure Park Specialist Academy 16a Keyes Avenue, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 4AE

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Inspection dates: 28 to 30 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall experiences and progress of children and young people in the residential provision

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Good

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

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Good

The headteacher of this school is Hayley Ross. The school is part of the Broad Horizons Education Trust, which means other people in the trust have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Don Evans, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Chris Snudden. 28 to 30 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff treat every pupil as an individual at Bure Park. As soon as they start at the school, pupils receive close attention and care. Each pupil has a team of adults to help and support them. It is part of becoming a member of the Bure Park family. Actions like these help pupils to build relationships and become more positive about themselves. The nurturing environment helps pupils to feel safe and ready to learn once again.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Establishing routines and boundaries is important here. Adults are consistent in their expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Pupils understand the school systems that contribute to purposeful learning in the classrooms. At times, some pupils do struggle with managing their emotions. Adults are adept at spotting the signs when this occurs and provide skilful intervention. This helps pupils to calm and rejoin their classmates quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy valuable experiences that broaden their horizons beyond the classroom. They are bespoke to each pupil to help them prepare for later life. They play a significant part in rebuilding confidence through enjoying success. Opportunities include learning new skills such as cooking or developing talents performing shows.

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better?

Everybody buys into the vision for Bure Park. Leaders at all levels are clear about their purpose and roles at the school. There is a relentless ambition for all pupils to achieve success. From difficult starts, pupils receive exemplary levels of support for their behaviours and achievements. The sharp focus on pupils’ needs drives a well- organised curriculum from which all pupils benefit.

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better?

The curriculum makes clear all the important things pupils need to know. Golden threads pick out key knowledge to build pupils’ learning. Staff collect valuable information that they use forensically to improve their plans. Manageable and achievable targets are set for pupils’ personal and academic success. This means the planned learning is tightly focused on pupils’ starting points. It is matched to pupils’ individual needs. Gaps and mistakes are swiftly addressed by teachers, and pupils achieve well.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. A highly effective programme of professional development ensures all adults are well trained. Leaders constantly review this. High-quality training makes an effective contribution to improving the practice of all staff. However, not all adults are as confident at implementing leaders’ plans. When pupils’ behaviour becomes challenging, teaching plans are not adapted quickly on all occasions. This means pupils do not progress as strongly as leaders intend.

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better?

The school recognises it is important for pupils to be able to read. Pupils build their knowledge of sounds in a systematic way. Skilful teaching supports pupils’ reading 28 to 30 November 2023

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confidence and fluency. Reading activities for building comprehension are well planned. Pupils strengthen their range of vocabulary. For example, pupils checked their understanding of different terms for expressing grief before studying the text. Pupils have opportunity to read high-quality texts. They share their reading during times at school and when attending the residency. This promotes the pleasure of reading and encourages a love of reading.

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Pupils’ holistic needs are well understood. A therapeutic approach supports the building of trusting relationships between pupils and adults. Staff use clear routines and expectations to engage pupils into their learning. Quiet spaces and reflection rooms provide pupils with opportunities to calm when they do become dysregulated. These times are well managed. Pupils reflect this situation through being more positive about themselves and their achievements.

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The school’s approach to developing pupils’ personal development is impressive. A wide range of activities provide opportunities to promote talents and interests. Building life skills is at the core of the school’s programme. It is skilfully crafted so that it meets every pupil’s needs. It links with the school’s career provision. Pupils learn about different jobs and take vocational qualifications. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for their next steps beyond school.

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The school’s leadership, including the trust, has been highly effective in establishing this new school. All leaders have a deep knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The trust uses this to provide appropriate levels of challenge and support. A strong team ethic ensures staff are well supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff do not know how to adapt their planning to support consistent strong progress through lessons. This is especially the case when pupils can become dysregulated and learning stalls. Leaders should ensure that they continue with their work to train all staff to fully understand how to adapt plans to ensure pupils make the strongest progress possible.

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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. 28 to 30 November 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’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 28 to 30 November 2023

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number

School category Academy free special school

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Date of previous inspection 27 May 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school opened in September 2021. It is a member of the Broad Horizons Educational Multi-Academy Trust.  All pupils who attend Bure Park Specialist Academy have an education, health and care plan for social, mental and educational needs.  Pupils who attend the school have an opportunity to spend time at the residential care provision which is on the same site as the school.  The school makes use of five unregistered alternative provisions for therapeutic care and vocational training.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 28 to 30 November 2023

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Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteachers, curriculum leaders, teachers and support staff. The lead inspector also met with the chair of the trustees, the chief executive officer, the chief operating officer and the director of education from the trust. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and personal, social, health and economic education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a range of pupils’ work.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders and staff; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors took account of the views of parents through their responses to the online survey and parents’ free-text comments. There were insufficient responses on Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, for an analysis to be provided. The inspectors also spoke to parents on the phone. Inspectors also considered responses to the Ofsted staff survey.

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Inspection team

Steve Mellors, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Russell Ayling Ofsted Inspector 28 to 30 November 2023

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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