Skerne Park Academy

Inspection of Skerne Park Academy Coleridge Gardens, Darlington, County Durham DL1 5AJ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The headteacher of this school is Clair Gooding. This school is part of Advance Learning Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Kelvin Simpson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alan Boddy. 18 and 19 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Skerne Park Academy is a rapidly improving school. Pupils are proud to attend the school. Staff know the pupils and the community very well. They care deeply for the welfare of pupils. Staff often go to great lengths to support pupils and their families. Pupils trust their teachers. They are safe. Although bullying sometimes happens, the school deals with issues effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school aspires to provide a high-quality education for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children in the early years get off to a very positive start. However, the school’s ambition for the quality of education that pupils receive in key stages 1 and 2 is not yet realised. Pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable. There is work to do to ensure pupils learn the curriculum well and remember it, so that they are ready for the next stage of their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to support their personal development. Pupils experience a range of educational visits. Pupils take on positions of responsibility in school. They can be members of the school council, the eco-committee and sports leaders. The school works effectively in order to raise pupils’ aspirations. Pupils enjoy learning about different careers, such as in engineering and medicine.

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better?

Since the last full inspection, a new leadership team has been appointed at the school. This leadership team recognised the need to prioritise improving pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Their relentless work has had a positive impact. Pupils know the school rules: ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’. Pupils value the rewards they receive in recognition of their hard work. Lessons are orderly. Routines around school are embedded well. Pupils demonstrate their ‘wonderful walking’ around school consistently. Attendance has improved significantly. At playtime, pupils play on the pirate ship, in the mud kitchen and on climbing frames. They play creatively and cooperatively.

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better?

Some aspects of the curriculum are planned and sequenced well. For example, in mathematics and history, there is a clear sequence of learning that matches the national curriculum. However, several aspects of the curriculum are being further developed or are new.

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better?

The curriculum is having a variable impact on pupils. This is reflected in the results in the 2023 national tests at the end of key stage 2. Teachers do not systematically check what pupils know and remember. They do not consistently adapt the curriculum to help fill the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. In some instances, pupils benefit from effective modelling and clear explanations. At times, the work that pupils are set helps them to embed their knowledge and make progress. However, these methods are used inconsistently. 18 and 19 June 2024

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Pupils with SEND are supported well. Teachers have clear plans to help them meet the needs of pupils. Teachers put in place a range of strategies to help pupils access the curriculum. Some pupils with SEND achieve well. More work is needed to ensure pupils with SEND achieve consistently well by the end of key stage 2.

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Early reading is prioritised in the school. Staff have been trained well to deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme. They implement it consistently. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they know. Pupils receive effective support if they fall behind in reading. Pupils enjoy reading.

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Early years is a strength of the school. The children’s personal, social and emotional development is prioritised. Children develop their independent skills well. Children interact positively with each other. The environment that children learn and play in is stimulating. There is a strong focus on developing children’s vocabulary. Routines are embedded well.

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In all key stages, pupils benefit from a clearly sequenced personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. They have a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe online. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and talents. Pupils enjoy opportunities to perform, such as in the ‘Skerne Park’s Got Talent’ showcase. They also play a range of sports. Pupils see everyone as equal. The school’s positive work on inclusion was recognised recently in an award from a national organisation. However, pupils say they often hear language on the playground that is homophobic and racist. Pupils do not have a secure understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics.

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The school has recently joined the trust. This has helped to accelerate improvements. All leaders, including governors, have a united vision. They aspire to provide a high-quality education and support for all pupils and the wider community. Despite some improvements, leaders have not yet brought about a consistently high quality of education in key stages 1 and 2. Leaders know this. They know what needs to improve. Staff value the professional opportunities they have been given since joining the trust. They appreciate the support they get from leaders to manage their workload and well-being. Governors fulfil their statutory duties well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not systematically check what pupils know and remember. This means they do not routinely identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge or adapt the curriculum to support pupils’ understanding. The school should ensure that there is greater consistency in the use of assessment so that teachers systematically 18 and 19 June 2024

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check what pupils know and remember and then adapt the curriculum appropriately.  The implementation of the curriculum is inconsistent. Pupils do not secure their knowledge of the curriculum or make the progress through the curriculum of which they are capable. The school should ensure that there is greater consistency in the implementation of the curriculum and that pupils are set work that is closely matched to learning intentions and adapted where necessary, so that pupils make the progress of which they are capable.  There are aspects of the curriculum that have been recently developed to increase levels of ambition or are under review. These subjects are not fully embedded and are not yet having the intended impact on pupils. The school should ensure that new or recently developed aspects of the curriculum are fully embedded so that they have a positive impact on pupils’ learning.  There is some variation in the effectiveness of the school’s work to secure pupils’

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understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics. This means that some pupils are not as prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The school should develop its work to ensure that pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics.

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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 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). 18 and 19 June 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 May 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher has been in post since September 2022.  The school joined the trust, Advance Learning Partnership, in September 2023.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision provider.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspection team held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and pupils. 18 and 19 June 2024

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 The lead inspector met with the chair of trustees and members of the local academy council.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and computing. 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.  An inspector met with leaders of religious education and science to discuss aspects of the curriculum.  Inspectors met with the SEND coordinator.  An inspector met with the leader in charge of the PSHE education curriculum and pupils’ personal development.  An inspector spoke to leaders at the unregistered alternative provision used by the school.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer for the trust.  The inspectors observed pupils during social times.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. He also took into consideration the responses to the surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Dan McKeating, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Katie Lowe Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 June 2024

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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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