Alde Valley Academy

Inspection of Alde Valley Academy Seaward Avenue, Leiston, Suffolk IP16 4BG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The interim headteacher of this school is Jonathan Harris. This school is part of the Kingfisher Schools 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), Craig Morrison, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Collins. 9 and 10 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a safe place to learn. Pupils are happy here. They like their teachers. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive strong support. However, some pupils do not fully engage with the school’s ethos. They get on with things, but not with high levels of motivation.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is inconsistent. Expectations have risen recently. This has led to calm classrooms and corridors. Some pupils struggle to follow what the school asks of them. They are not taught enough about how to behave appropriately. These pupils get into trouble, and then repeat these behaviours.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like being with their friends. However, some bullying happens. There is low- level, harsh language, such as unkind ‘banter’. When the school knows about these issues, it deals with them firmly. But sometimes the unkind behaviour persists. Pupils want more opportunities to express how they feel about school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn an appropriate curriculum. This, though, is not always taught effectively. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a wide range of opportunities. Many pupils participate in these. They go on visits abroad, such as to Normandy. Pupils learn teamwork and leadership through the varied sporting activities. Those who need to learn to swim.

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better?

The school has been through a period of decline. The trust recognises that oversight in the past has not been tight. Historically, there have been low expectations from all levels of leadership. The trust and the school have now undertaken a sober evaluation of the quality of provision, and have accurately assessed areas to improve. They have acted urgently to remedy the situation. The beginnings of improvement are in place. But there is a lot more work to do.

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better?

The curriculum aims to meet the needs of pupils. For instance, it is adjusted to support pupils who enter Year 7 with lower writing skills. The curriculum identifies well what knowledge pupils need to succeed. This helps pupils, including those with SEND, make steady progress in most areas. Where the curriculum is effective, pupils develop detailed knowledge, such as rich vocabulary in modern foreign languages.

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better?

Results in national tests in 2023 were low. In response, the school has created clear expectations for teaching. However, these are new. In some areas, teachers deliver learning successfully. Where this is the case, pupils produce high-quality work, such as art that builds on a range of genres. Teachers adapt learning precisely for pupils with SEND so they can access it. But there is inconsistency. Sometimes teachers use tasks that do not help pupils understand the learning. In addition, learning is not always checked effectively. As a result, pupils quite often move forwards with gaps in their knowledge. Consequently, they do not do as well as they should. 9 and 10 July 2024

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Some pupils who struggle to read well do not get all the help they need. If pupils have SEND, they get effective support with reading. Although the school has planned a reading strategy there is not a coherent programme of support for other readers who lack confidence. This hinders their learning. In some cases, pupils disengage and behave less well as a result.

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There are high standards for attendance. Absence is low. The school has reset standards for behaviour. Consequently, sanctions are frequent. This has created a more orderly culture. However, the school reacts to incidents rather than dealing with the underlying causes. Pupils do not always learn to make better choices without adult support.

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In several areas, the curriculum for personal development is well considered. However, it does not cohesively build pupils’ characters. Pupils learn about important content, such as healthy relationships. At times, they value this and voice thoughtful views. That said, often this learning does not have the effect the school intends. Pupils are taught about careers. The school works closely with local partners to open doors to the world of work. Yet this does not always excite pupils to explore their options. The school promotes its positive values, but pupils sometimes lack respect, confidence and resilience.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not have in place a coherent approach to improving reading for many weaker readers. This prevents pupils from accessing learning as effectively as they might. Sometimes, it contributes to poor behaviour. The school needs to ensure that those who struggle to read confidently receive an effective programme of support, to enable pupils to be able to access and progress with their learning more effectively.  Teachers sometimes do not teach the curriculum well enough. Where this is the case, they plan and use activities that do not enable pupils to learn successfully. Teachers do not routinely check learning in a way that shows where gaps are, so these can be addressed. This means pupils do not make the progress they should. The school should ensure teachers receive the guidance and support they require to deliver the curriculum as the school intends.  The school does not teach pupils effectively how to behave well. This means that

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the underlying causes of misbehaviour are sometimes not successfully addressed. Too many pupils who receive sanctions then repeat their misbehaviour. The school needs to review its behaviour policy and ensure it helps pupils to understand how to conduct themselves well and why this is important. 9 and 10 July 2024

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 The school does not have a sufficiently effective character curriculum. Pupils struggle to develop respect, kindness, confidence, and resilience. A significant minority of pupils do not engage wholeheartedly with the school’s ethos and aims. The school needs to ensure its personal development programme is helping pupils engage with and embody the school’s ethos, so that they develop positive character traits more richly and successfully.

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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). 9 and 10 July 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 February 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Kingfisher Schools Trust. The trust was formerly named Waveney Valley Academies Trust. It changed its name on 1 January 2024.  The interim headteacher was appointed in January 2024. At the time of the inspection the school was seeking to recruit a permanent headteacher to start in the role on 1 January 2025.  Several changes in senior and subject leadership have been made since the last inspection. This includes a new designated safeguarding lead, who was appointed in April 2024.  For this academic year there has been a school improvement board. The trust has put this in place as temporary measure to enhance its oversight of the school. The trust aims to establish a local academy committee as soon as it feels the school improvement board has completed its work.  The school currently uses five alternative providers, four of which are unregistered and one registered for a small number of pupils, all on a part-time

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 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.  The school week is 40 minutes below the Department for Education’s recommended minimum of 32 and a half hours. The school is reviewing this.

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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.  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 interim headteacher, other senior leaders, staff, and pupils. As part of evaluating governance and the work of the trust, the lead inspector met with two members of the school improvement board, and the chair and chief executive officer of the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, art, physical education, geography and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, met with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also visited lessons in science.  As part of evaluating the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors met with

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Information about this inspection

leaders, governors, staff and pupils. Inspectors scrutinised the school’s single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. They considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents, including curriculum plans, school development plans, policies and documentation for behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and free-text comments submitted by parents during the inspection. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s questionnaires for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Charlie Fordham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rowena Simmons Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 July 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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