Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Tessa Claridge Principal River Dart Academy Shinners Bridge Dartington Devon TQ9 6JD

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Special measures monitoring inspection of River Dart Academy

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 20 June 2024, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the second monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in January 2023.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of River Dart Academy

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s overall effectiveness, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of River Dart Academy

During the inspection, I discussed with you, other senior leaders, including the chief executive officer (CEO) and the director of education and deputy director of education of the trust, a representative from the local authority, members of the governance monitoring hub and the chair of trustees the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I met the designated safeguarding leads, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and a range of teaching and non-teaching staff. I visited lessons, spoke to pupils and considered a range of documents. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to be no longer judged as requiring special measures.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Since the previous monitoring visit, there have been further staffing changes, including some realignment in leadership roles and responsibilities. The previous interim leadership arrangements came to an end and a new permanent principal was appointed in January 2024 from another school within the trust. New teaching staff, including a teacher with responsibility for English and reading from another school within the trust, have been appointed along with support staff from both inside and outside of the trust. The SENCo is now also the vice-principal.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

You have continued to build on the determined start to tackle the areas of development following the previous graded inspection. A relatively high proportion of staffing changes has not reduced the school’s thirst for continuous improvement. All staff have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Leaders have rightly prioritised key aspects of curriculum development with a main focus on the English curriculum, including reading.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Reading now sits at the heart of your curriculum. Pupils’ attitudes towards reading are shifting. A clear curriculum framework for reading is now in place, including a structured intervention programme for those who require extra support to become fluent and confident readers. You have thought carefully about the books pupils read. Books are now age-appropriate and decodable. Your staff increasingly use assessment to gauge pupils’ starting points on their arrival at the setting. The reading curriculum is starting to weave aspects and opportunities to support the personal, social and health curriculum, alongside increased enrichment opportunities to support pupils’ understanding of difference and equality of opportunity. You acknowledge that you needed to review the reading curriculum from the start, returning it to basics. Recent training has supported staff in how to use texts to support pupils’ comprehension and fluency. This is starting to have an

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

impact. However, you are aware that the love of reading is not yet embedded for all pupils. The continued focus on developing a positive culture of reading will need to continue.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Your curriculum has been carefully thought out and sequenced across a range of subjects. The school is well supported by the trust and its curriculum expertise to develop the implementation of the curriculum. In mathematics, for example, staff provide opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning. Tracking systems enable staff to identify gaps and misconceptions and keep their planning fluid. However, you know there is still further work to do to ensure all subject curriculums are being implemented effectively, for example in the humanities. As a result, for some subject areas, the impact on pupils’ learning over time is less secure.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Your processes and procedures to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities continue to improve. All staff are now involved in a clearer assessment and review process. Individual plans take into account pupils’ main learning needs. Relevant targets sit central to this process. Staff confidence in supporting pupils with a range of needs continues to grow. Regular and relevant training is provided for all staff. Daily briefings ensure staff are aware of pupils’ ongoing challenges and how they can share relevant practice to support individual needs.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Your systems to support behaviour continue to have a positive impact on the school community as a whole. These are increasingly being embedded into the life of the school. Adults and pupils form positive and caring relationships. Pupils integrate well with each other. They know they can speak freely to staff. The calm, warm welcome pupils receive in the morning enables staff to see what extra support some pupils may need throughout the school day. When behaviour deteriorates, staff provide proactive support. Consequently, the number of suspensions has significantly reduced. Although attendance is improving, you rightly know there is more work to do to maximise pupils’ time in school.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

You have responded quickly to review safeguarding processes and procedures to ensure the safety of all pupils. These systems continue to enable staff to understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Pupils say they feel safe in school. Regular checks are in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Those responsible for governance now support and challenge school leaders to continue to accelerate improvement. Governors, in their monitoring role, have started to check all aspects for improvement closely. They are well placed to continue to challenge and guide leaders so that all decisions made are in the best interest of the pupils.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Staff are highly positive about the school’s work in supporting their workload and well- being. Communication is effective and they understand why recent changes in staff, including roles and responsibilities, have been made. The trust continues to provide support. It makes regular checks on curriculum development and the impact on pupils’ outcomes. The trust knows what work needs to be done and works well with a range of external providers. However, the trust is aware that the challenges around the staffing and resource implications in relation to increasing pupil numbers still remain.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees and the CEO of the Wave Multi Academy Trust, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Devon. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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