Weston Favell Academy

Inspection of Weston Favell Academy Booth Lane South, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN3 3EZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The senior executive principal of this school is Todd Johnson. This school is part of Greenwood Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Wayne Norrie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Hamlin. 12 and 13 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are positive about the education they receive at Weston Favell Academy. They told inspectors that they value the academic and pastoral support they receive from staff. Older pupils recognise that the school has improved in recent years. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from a well-planned and ambitious curriculum. Results in external examinations have improved, especially in mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are very high expectations for pupils’ behaviour at the school. Pupils respond well. The school is calm and orderly. There are few disruptions to learning. Pupils are tolerant and get along with each other. During breaks and lunchtimes, they socialise happily in the pleasant and spacious school grounds. Any incidents of bullying or poor behaviour are dealt with quickly by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum for personal, social and health education supports pupils’ wider development well. Pupils are knowledgeable about British values, equality and diversity. They benefit from lessons on how to keep themselves safe and healthy, including maintaining good mental health. Pupils receive excellent advice about their future education choices and careers. Students in the sixth form are very well- supported to achieve their aspirations.

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better?

The school has worked hard to develop the curriculum in recent years. All pupils learn a broad range of subjects in key stage 3 that meet the requirements of the national curriculum. At key stage 4, pupils choose from a wide range of academic and vocational courses. All have the opportunity to study the subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate. In the sixth form, the range of courses offered has been carefully chosen to meet the interests and aspirations of students.

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better?

Staff work collaboratively to make sure that the knowledge pupils should learn is clearly identified in the curriculum. It is sequenced well so that pupils build on what they already know as they progress through the school. There are many opportunities for pupils to revisit topics they have learned previously. The curriculum supports pupils to learn subject-specific vocabulary.

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better?

Specialist staff have good subject knowledge. They use this to explain concepts clearly and design tasks that support pupils to gain knowledge and practise skills. In the majority of lessons, staff question pupils skilfully to identify misconceptions or challenge pupils to think more deeply. They adapt lesson activities well to help pupils learn and remember important knowledge. However, this is not the case in all lessons. Sometimes, staff do not check pupils’ understanding well enough or make sure that this is secure before moving on. Pupils work hard in lessons. They produce work of good quality. Staff provide regular and useful feedback that helps pupils to improve. 12 and 13 March 2024

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Pupils with SEND, and those who speak English as an additional language, access the same curriculum as their peers. The school identifies when pupils need extra support effectively. Staff make sure that they provide resources, or adapt activities, to meet all pupils’ needs. Weaker readers are well supported to develop fluency so that they can access the curriculum in full. All pupils benefit from regular opportunities to read, and enjoy access to a well-stocked library.

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In the sixth form, the curriculum is challenging. Students benefit from being in small classes. Staff provide personalised support that helps students rise to the challenges they are set. The sixth-form area is well resourced so that students can use their independent study time effectively.

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Pupils demonstrate consistently positive attitudes around school. They wear their uniform with pride and are punctual to lessons. The school has worked effectively to improve attendance and most pupils attend school well.

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The school provides some opportunities for pupils to pursue their wider talents and interests. These include sports, drama and debating. The school council meets regularly and has been active in making changes to improve the school. However, these opportunities are limited. Pupils would appreciate more opportunities to take on responsibilities or take part in memorable experiences.

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The school has been well supported by the multi-academy trust to improve all areas of the school’s provision in recent years. This has been appreciated by the vast majority of pupils and their parents. There have been significant changes to staffing during this time. Most staff say they are proud to work at the school. They value the support the school gives them to develop their expertise and manage their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, staff do not routinely question pupils to check their understanding. They do not identify when pupils have misconceptions or where there are opportunities to challenge pupils to deepen their thinking. As a result, staff do not always effectively adapt lessons to support pupils to learn new knowledge securely. The school needs to ensure that routines for effective checking of pupils’ understanding and adapting learning activities are embedded across the curriculum.  There are limited activities for pupils to take part in beyond the academic curriculum. As a result, pupils miss out on opportunities to pursue their wider talents and interests or enjoy memorable experiences. The school needs to 12 and 13 March 2024

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ensure that it supports pupils’ broader personal development by providing more of these opportunities for pupils.

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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). 12 and 13 March 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,506

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 14 September 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Greenwood Academies Trust.  The school uses no alternative provision.  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.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 12 and 13 March 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the senior executive principal, the head of school and other school leaders.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer and other leaders from the multi-academy trust. The lead inspector also spoke to a representative of the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, science, physical education, history and art. For each deep dive, 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 pupils’ work.  Inspectors visited lessons and discussed the curriculum in a number of other subjects.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  Inspectors met with pupils from a range of year groups, including pupils with SEND, to discuss their experiences of the school. Inspectors also considered the views of pupils that responded to the online survey.  Inspectors met with a range of teaching and non-teaching staff. Inspectors also considered the views of staff that responded to an online survey.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Emma Mason Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 March 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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