Newsome Academy

Inspection of Newsome Academy Castle Avenue, Newsome, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD4 6JN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Dean Watkin. This school is part of Impact Education Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mick Kay, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Phil Shire. 6 and 7 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

To be a pupil at this school is to be part of a caring, close-knit family. Staff and pupils form strong relationships that underpin the school’s work. Pupils are safe. They are nurtured to achieve their full potential. In the words of one pupil, echoing the sentiments of many, ‘We belong here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond admirably to the high expectations that staff have of them. They are happy, enjoy learning and achieve well. Teachers support pupils very well. Pupils learn a curriculum which is constructed and designed to give them the best start in life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in every aspect of school life. They thrive due to the excellent pastoral care they receive. Pupils with SEND progress well because of the adaptations that are made to the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils from all backgrounds and ages get along well. Indeed, the school mission of ‘connecting hearts and minds’ is fully realised. Pupils look out for each other and make sure that nobody feels isolated or left out. Pupils rarely experience bullying. Bullying is dealt with swiftly when it occurs. Rightly, pupils are very proud of their school. Pupils are encouraged to play an active part in school life. They influence the life of the school fully.

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better?

The school has a highly inclusive curriculum. It ensures there are no barriers to pupils’ ambitions and aspirations. There are high expectations for all. Pupils study a range of subjects that are appropriate to their needs. Their studies prepare them well for future education, employment and/or training opportunities. The school recognises that some areas of the curriculum are more developed than others. The school is taking steps to improve the consistency of the curriculum.

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better?

Teachers have detailed knowledge of their subjects and how to teach them well. Teachers deliver curriculum content in line with the school’s policies. For example, through ‘activate’ tasks, teachers make sure pupils recall, and practise using, important knowledge. Pupils use detailed ‘knowledge organisers’ to summarise important facts and vocabulary. In most lessons, assessment is accurately used to adapt and inform teaching.

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better?

Pupils with SEND are well supported by staff. Pupils’ needs are quickly and precisely pinpointed. The school provides excellent provision for pupils with hearing impairment and physical disabilities. These pupils receive the specialist support they need to participate in and enjoy school life fully. In most lessons, the curriculum is successfully adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. For example, curriculum content is taught in bite-size chunks and repeated to ensure ideas and 6 and 7 February 2024

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concepts are fully understood. The school is taking steps to improve the consistency of SEND provision across the full curriculum.

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The school prioritises reading. Pupils are provided with many opportunities to read. They are encouraged to read aloud in class, practise new vocabulary and develop their oracy skills. Pupils receive weekly literacy seminar sessions in which they read and discuss a text together. Weaker readers are quickly identified. They receive well- judged interventions. These pupils quickly become fluent readers as a result.

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Pupils’ conduct at the school is exemplary and an excellent model of inclusion. Pupils are unfailingly polite and exhibit the school’s values of respect, integrity, teamwork and aspiration. Pupils are attentive in lessons and enjoy learning. Most pupils attend school regularly. The school actively challenges and supports pupils who are more reluctant to attend.

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Pupils learn about healthy relationships, consent and how to keep themselves safe online. Pupils develop their character through various leadership opportunities. They actively influence aspects of life in the school and wider community. For example, democracy champions have influenced the uniform worn by pupils in school and local members of parliament and councillors within the local authority. Pupils develop a sound understanding of employability skills through the school’s ‘business conscience’ approach to personal development. Pupils participate in a wide variety of inclusive clubs, including wheelchair basketball, DJ club, British Sign Language and cooking.

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Leaders inspire staff and pupils. Transformative changes to the school have been made by skilled and determined leaders. They have a sharp understanding of the school’s many strengths and remaining areas for development. Governors and trustees provide support and hold school leaders to account effectively. Staff at the school are very well supported. The school ensures that staff’s well-being and workload are well managed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not as well developed and planned in some subject areas as it is in others. This means that the quality of education that pupils, including pupils with SEND, receive is inconsistent across the curriculum. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could in some subject areas. The school should ensure that the curriculum is developed across all subject areas to the same high standard. 6 and 7 February 2024

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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 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). 6 and 7 February 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Newsome Academy became a sponsored academy in March 2021. When its predecessor school, Newsome High School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate.  The school is one of eight schools in Impact Education Multi Academy Trust.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with hearing impairment and physical disability. Thirteen pupils with a hearing impairment and 14 pupils with a physical disability attend the provision.  The school uses two registered and one unregistered alternative providers of education.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 6 and 7 February 2024

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders, staff and pupils. They met with governors and trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: science, English, geography and design and technology. 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.  Inspectors visited the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND. They observed pupils at different times of the day and spoke with leaders, staff and pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons and considered how the needs of disadvantaged and pupils with SEND are addressed. They observed pupils at various times of the school day.  Inspectors spoke to representatives of the alternative provisions used by the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; considered the views of parents; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Chris Carr, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

John Lucas His Majesty’s Inspector 6 and 7 February 2024

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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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