Worlaby Academy

Inspection of a good school: Worlaby Academy Low Road, Worlaby, Brigg, North Lincolnshire DN20 0NA

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Outcome

Worlaby Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Sharon Hatton. This school is part of Delta 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 (CEO), Paul Tarn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steven Hodsman.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders at Worlaby Academy have established school values based on kindness, respect and collaboration. Staff consistently display these qualities through their interactions with pupils and with each other. This inspires pupils to behave in a similar way. Pupils treat those around them with the utmost respect and kindness. Leaders have shaped a highly inclusive school culture in which all pupils flourish. Pupils are proud to be themselves. The school is a very happy place to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Pupils are inspired by the many opportunities that the curriculum offers to them. Meeting new authors encourages pupils to try new books and write their own stories. In addition, many pupils take part in the school choir and in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics club. Leaders make sure that pupils have many opportunities to explore their talents and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They display very positive attitudes towards their learning. Adults apply their high expectations of pupils consistently. Pupils rise to these expectations by showing independence and resilience when mastering new knowledge. Pupils also have high expectations of themselves and behave consistently well whether adults are present or not. Leaders have created a culture in which pupils want to support and look after each other.

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

Leaders have established an ambitious curriculum. In some subjects, the school has 9 May 2024

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clearly identified the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn. Teachers consistently help pupils to review this knowledge. They help pupils to make important connections between the aspects that they are learning about. When studying the Second World War, pupils learn about rationing and its links to the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign. However, leaders’ ambition has not been fully realised in all aspects of the curriculum. In some areas, this important knowledge has not been identified clearly enough. In these cases, pupils’ understanding is less secure than it is in other subjects.

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Leaders have made reading a priority. They have made sure that all staff have the training that they need to help pupils to become fluent readers. In early years, children learn phonics and quickly become confident readers. If pupils struggle to read, they receive extra tuition to help them to become more fluent. Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have the resources that they need to be able to read confidently. For example, some pupils use coloured acetates to focus more easily on the text. Adults share carefully chosen stories that inspire pupils to explore the many books in their school. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about the authors and series of books that they most enjoy. They often recommend books to each other. Reading is everywhere in this school.

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Staff give children lots of opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. Children compare the weights of different objects and make different amounts using groups of objects. Children become confident with number quickly. Teachers help older pupils build their mathematical knowledge step by step. Pupils have lots of opportunities to rehearse and revisit learning. This is helping them to become confident mathematicians.

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Pupils have an impressive understanding of difference and diversity. They know that everyone deserves to be respected. Pupils talk with maturity about issues such as healthy relationships and consent. Adults provide many opportunities for pupils to debate different issues. The school makes sure that pupils have the language that they need to express their opinions and ideas sensitively. This informs the deep respect with which pupils treat everyone around them.

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Those responsible for governance are knowledgeable about the school. They check carefully that leaders are taking the right actions in the best interests of pupils. The trust and the school deliver highly effective support and professional development for staff at all levels. The workload and well-being of all staff is a priority. Leaders understand that in this very small school, staff have many different responsibilities. The school makes sure that staff have the time that they need to undertake those responsibilities effectively. Staff are proud to work in this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 9 May 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the curriculum, the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn is not defined clearly enough. Where this is the case, pupils do not acquire a deep enough understanding. The school should make sure that the knowledge pupils need to learn is mapped out equally well across all subjects.

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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 February 2015.

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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.

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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). 9 May 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a well-below-average-size primary school.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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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 senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers. The lead inspector held an additional meeting with the CEO’s representative.  Inspectors held a meeting with representatives of the governors, including the chair of the trust board. 9 May 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. 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. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of other documentation, including leaders’ evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils to gather their views on school life.  To gather parents’ views, inspectors took account of the views of parents from the

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Ofsted Parent View survey, including any free-text comments.  To gather the views of staff, inspectors took account of the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jen Sloan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Angela Harper Ofsted Inspector 9 May 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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