Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy

Inspection of a good school: Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy Crompton Road, Bilsthorpe, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG22 8PS

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Outcome

Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Samantha Leek. This school is part of the Flying High 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), Christopher Wheatley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Robinson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy is an inclusive and caring school. It has high aspirations for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, to achieve the best possible outcomes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy. They regard the school as a supportive oasis where they can talk to any of the adults and voice any concerns or worries they may have. One pupil shared, ‘I love this school because you get high-quality lessons and also loads of help if you are struggling with anything in your learning, mentally, or your home life.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the school’s strong community feel. Relationships are at the heart of everything the school does. For example, pupils visit the village library on a regular basis and enjoy hosting community events throughout the year, such as the summer fair.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the school’s values: pride, confidence, aspiration, responsibility, enjoyment, creativity and perseverance. They consistently demonstrate these values in their relationships with each other and how they approach their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can access a wide range of clubs and enjoy taking on extra roles and responsibilities, such as being a reading leader or a school councillor. Some pupils also enjoy the opportunity to represent their school when networking with pupils from other schools in the trust, as part of the pupil parliament.

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Children get off to a very strong start in the early years. Staff have very high expectations. Relationships between staff and children are warm and nurturing. The environment is carefully planned. Children can practise their learning and embed new skills. Children access high-quality outdoor equipment. This helps them to develop their gross motor skills. Staff model new vocabulary and encourage children to speak in full sentences. When children are following their own interests and exploring through play, staff capture learning in the moment. They interact skilfully with children without interrupting learning. Children are very well prepared for key stage 1.

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The school prioritises reading. Phonics lessons help pupils learn to blend sounds and decode new words. When adults listen to pupils read, they encourage pupils to re-read sentences with increased fluency. Some pupils have extra support with their phonics. This helps them to keep up with the programme. Pupils enjoy reading and can talk confidently about their favourite books. The school promotes reading for pleasure and staff read to pupils daily. Pupils are exposed to a well-sequenced range of high-quality texts.

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The mathematics curriculum is ambitious. Pupils start lessons by revisiting previous learning. This helps them remember what they have been taught. Teachers model new learning very well. New content is delivered in small steps. Pupils are encouraged to explain their mathematical thinking in full sentences, using appropriate vocabulary. They have the opportunity to think at a deeper level and use and apply their learning in a range of problem-solving contexts. The school gives pupils the chance to experience mathematics outside of lessons and learn about different career paths that involve the subject.

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Pupils achieve very well at this school. They make strong progress and are encouraged to aspire to do their best. In lessons, pupils' levels of engagement are consistently high. They listen intently and are eager to do their very best. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve equally well. The school works closely with external agencies so that these pupils get the support they need to access the full curriculum.

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Subjects in the wider curriculum are equally ambitious and often go beyond the expectations of the National Curriculum. Pupils learn how each subject can be used in the wider world and potential career paths related to them. In a small number of subjects, pupils’ depth of knowledge is not secure. They can remember facts, but they struggle to recall the skills linked to the subject, for example how to work scientifically in science.

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Pupils are well-prepared for life in modern Britain. They demonstrate an age-appropriate understanding of different types of families and relationships. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. They have a mature understanding of diversity and the importance of equality. As one pupil explained, ‘It is important to be respectful of difference. We can all have different opinions. We do not have to agree but we can still be nice to each other.’

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Staff feel very well supported by the school with regards to their workload and well-being. They access high-quality professional development. They appreciate the chance to work 3 and 4 July 2024

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with staff from other schools in the trust. The trust board and local governing body work together and communicate effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, pupils’ depth of knowledge is not secure, in particular their disciplinary knowledge. As a result, pupils’ achievements do not always meet the aspirations of the curriculum in these subjects. The school should continue to monitor the implementation of the curriculum so that pupils know and remember more of the intended curriculum in all subject areas.

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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 predecessor school, Crompton View Primary School, to be good in October 2012.

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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 3 and 4 July 2024

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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). 3 and 4 July 2024

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Website www.bilsthorpeflyinghighacademy.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 September 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Flying High Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector carried out this ungraded inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.  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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also 3 and 4 July 2024

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considered the curriculums for art and design, and science and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with the headteacher, subject leaders and a sample of teaching and support staff, including teachers in the early stages of their teaching career.  The inspector met with leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, behaviour and personal development.  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.  The inspector examined a range of school documents, including the school’s self- evaluation, the school development plan and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  The lead inspector heard a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.

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 The inspector met with groups of pupils from different year groups.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, the trust representatives, including the CEO and the director of quality assurance and school improvement.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the results of Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Luella Dhoore, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 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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