Lime Academy Orton

Inspection of Lime Academy Orton Clayton Site, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE2 5SD

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Sixth-form provision Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Anthony Skipworth. This school is part of Lime 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), Kirsten Jowett, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christopher Cole. 24 and 25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Lime Academy Orton, pupils have severe to profound learning needs. Many also have physical needs that require substantial therapeutic support. Starting in the early years, pupils learn a curriculum that helps them to communicate with others and interact with the world effectively, and this tailored curriculum continues as they progress through the school. Pupils also develop independence. Within the school’s caring environment, pupils are confident and happy. They delight in learning and value their experiences at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the knowledge and skills they need to take positive next steps in life after leaving school. They learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy at home and in the local community. On school trips, pupils learn important skills such as crossing roads safely. While dining together during lunchtime, pupils learn how to make healthy choices when eating. The many cultural activities at the school, such as the celebrations of religious festivals in assembly, help pupils gain insight about the world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive within the ‘can-do’ ethos at school. They are proud of their achievements. They celebrate each other’s success and appreciate the recognition they receive for good work. In the sixth form, students speak enthusiastically and fluently about their aspirations in life.

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

Since opening as an academy in the Lime Trust, the school has experienced much change. Along with making changes to leadership and governance structures, the trust has redesigned the curriculum with school leaders. The curriculum is now well structured with ‘engage’ and ‘inspire’ pathways that meet the needs of pupils. Staff plan and deliver effective learning activities using the school’s well-sequenced curriculum and the expectations outlined in each pupil’s education, health and care (EHC) plan. Staff also precisely check what pupils know and can do. Staff use this information well to plan pupils’ next steps in learning. Pupils generally achieve well during their time at the school.

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

There are some areas of the ‘inspire’ curriculum that are not as well developed as the rest. In these instances, teachers are not clear about the exact knowledge that pupils must know. For example, teachers are not always certain about the specific vocabulary that pupils must learn. As a result, teachers do not place sufficient emphasis on key knowledge. This leads to pupils forgetting what has been taught.

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

Reading forms a large part of the school’s curriculum. Pupils very much enjoy listening to adults read. Staff read to pupils in highly engaging ways. In the early years, staff effectively introduce children to stories using a range of sensory stimuli that capture the children’s attention. Staff routinely review important knowledge that enables pupils to understand how stories work. For example, staff repeatedly go over characters, setting and plot so that pupils learn the key elements in a story. In later key stages, staff effectively teach pupils the letters and sounds they need to read. Many of these pupils become capable at decoding texts and can comprehend a lot of what they read at school. 24 and 25 September 2024

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The school has ensured that pupils, and students in the sixth form, access books that match their abilities and interests.

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The school’s well-established ethos is underpinned by the respect that staff and pupils show for each other. Pupils and staff forge strong relationships built on trust. Starting in the early years, staff systematically teach pupils how to behave appropriately in social situations. Staff also effectively teach pupils strong learning behaviours, which continue as they progress through the school. Lessons are typically calm, with pupils focused on learning. When pupils demonstrate unacceptable behaviour, staff provide the necessary support to help pupils correct and improve their conduct.

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Because pupils enjoy school, they attend regularly. When attendance is difficult, such as due to a pupil’s medical needs, the school helps families to find solutions.

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The school has a well-developed enrichment programme to support pupils’ wider personal development. Staff identify pupils’ interests and needs and arrange bespoke trips and enrichment activities. With determination and creativity, staff provide experiences that help pupils learn about the wider world. For example, the school holds an annual music festival to simulate Glastonbury Festival. In the sixth form, students take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

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The school prepares pupils well for the transition into adult life. Staff teach pupils how to care for themselves by showing them how to do laundry and cook. Pupils learn about working life by applying for and taking part in work experience at school. Staff work effectively with external agencies so that all students in the sixth form make positive transitions into further education.

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The trust has put effective governance in place. Trustees and local governors have an accurate understanding of the quality of the school’s provision. They effectively support and challenge school leaders to ensure that pupils get the best possible education.

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Parents and staff are very positive about the school. Parents value the care and support staff give to pupils and families. Staff appreciate the impressive opportunities the trust provides for professional development. Staff are also grateful for leaders’ support with maintaining reasonable workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some areas of the school’s curriculum do not clarify what pupils must know with sufficient precision. As a result, teachers are not certain what knowledge they should emphasise and review with pupils, including key vocabulary. This leads to pupils not 24 and 25 September 2024

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remembering what they should. The school needs to specify in all areas of the curriculum the exact knowledge that pupils must learn and remember over time to support all pupils to achieve well.

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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). 24 and 25 September 2024

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School details

School category Academy special sponsor-led

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form

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Lime Trust in June 2020.  The interim headteacher took up his post in September 2024.  The school serves pupils with severe or profound and multiple learning needs. All pupils at the school have an EHC plan.  The school is registered to admit two-year-olds. Currently there are no two-year-olds on roll.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  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. 24 and 25 September 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 held discussions with the interim headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, the CEO of the trust, trust leaders, members of the academy council, the chair of the trust board and trustees.  Due to the nature of the specialist curriculum, inspectors carried out deep dives in the following areas: communication, interaction and reading; personal development; the world around us; physical and sensory; and mathematics. In each area, inspectors met with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at evidence of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

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. Discussions with pupils always took place with a member of school staff present. This did not impact on the quality of evidence gathered or the inspection outcomes.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including EHC plans, pupil profiles, behaviour support plans and other information about the behaviour and attitudes of pupils. Inspectors also observed the behaviour of pupils in lessons and during social times.  Inspectors considered a range of documents and other information about the personal development of pupils.  Inspectors considered the 24 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the 46 responses to the staff survey. 24 and 25 September 2024

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Inspection team

Al Mistrano, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lesley Stevens Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 2024

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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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