Huntingdon Academy

Inspection of Huntingdon Academy Alfred Street Central, St Ann’s, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG3 4AY

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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

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The head of school is Rebecca Riley. This school is part of LEAD Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Diana Owen, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andy Buck. There is also an executive headteacher, Ross Middleton, who is responsible for this school and two others.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Huntingdon Academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Huntingdon Academy to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. 24 and 25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is valued in this welcoming and inspiring school. The school’s vision of ‘individual growth and empowerment for all’ enables all pupils to believe in themselves. Pupils love coming to school. Staff know pupils well and set the highest of expectations for learning and behaviour. Pupils rise to these expectations. They achieve exceptionally well. Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. There is a strong focus on the school’s values of listening, thinking, communication and collaboration. Across the school, pupils consistently demonstrate these values. Pupils feel safe and thrive here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that they are essential members of the school community. They take on extra responsibilities with pride. Subject ambassadors help pupils with their learning. The school councillors are voted in by their peers. They play an integral role in running fundraising events and the school’s culture day. Pupils develop a strong sense of responsibility which helps to maintain the positive, happy, and inclusive culture that everyone enjoys.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from an extensive range of high-quality wider curriculum experiences. The school uses ‘hooks into learning’, ranging from exciting treasure hunts to exploring mummification and undertaking educational visits. Year 6 pupils particularly enjoyed their trip to Perlethorpe for an evacuation experience. These events ignite pupils’ enthusiasm for learning.

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

The school’s curriculum is meticulously well structured and logically ordered. It provides teachers with detailed guidance about what to teach and when. Effective staff training means that teachers have strong subject knowledge. They impart this well to pupils. Learning is broken down into small steps so that pupils learn new knowledge securely. Teachers skilfully check pupils’ understanding and address misconceptions quickly. This means that pupils do not repeat errors and that pupils’ work is of a high quality. Teachers skilfully adapt activities to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

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

The school leaves no stone unturned in its quest to ensure that pupils learn to read. From the beginning of Nursery onwards, there is a sharp focus on developing children’s communication and language. Staff deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme with expertise. Pupils gain confidence as they read books that contain the sounds they know. Staff make regular checks on pupils’ reading. Any pupils who fall behind benefit from effective support to catch up quickly. Pupils are avid readers. They love to earn tokens to spend at the school’s well-stocked reading vending machine.

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

The early years environment is a magical place in which to learn. Routines are well established. Adults love teaching as much as the children love learning. Expert staff make sure that they work closely with parents and carers and get to know children individually. Staff design learning activities that match the children’s needs and interests. As a result, children thrive. They demonstrate high levels of self-control and become eager learners. 24 and 25 September 2024

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The support for pupils who speak English as an additional language is exemplary. The school knows each and every pupil’s needs well. The bespoke support from skilled staff enables these pupils to achieve extremely well across the curriculum. Pupils who attend ‘the hive’ and ‘nurture nest’ are equally well supported. They access an appropriate curriculum that builds on their individual starting points towards clearly defined goals.

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Pupils live and breathe the school’s values in all aspects of school life. They are exceptionally well behaved. They strive to earn ‘value points’ and love to spend their well- earned points at the prize shop. Pupils have beautiful manners. They are taught that everyone is different and deserving of respect.

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Pupils go out of their way to support worthy causes that are close to their hearts. Their recent fundraising is a big help towards a new community garden. Pupils speak with pride when explaining the ‘jobs’ they apply for, such as running the ‘snack shack’ and being reading ambassadors. These roles help to prepare pupils extremely well for later life.

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The exceptionally crafted personal, social and health education curriculum gives pupils a thorough understanding of healthy relationships and what it means to stay safe in the community and online. The well-being club offers pupils time to reflect on, and look after, their mental health.

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Staff are incredibly proud to be part of such a positive and successful team. They appreciate all that the school does to help their workload and well-being. The governors, trust and school staff work in harmony to ensure that all pupils achieve exceptionally well. The school is a very special place for staff and pupils alike.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 24 and 25 September 2024

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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

Headteacher Ross Middleton (Executive Headteacher) Rebecca Riley (Head of School) Website www.leadacademytrust.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of LEAD Academy Trust.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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.  Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 24 and 25 September 2024

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 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 spoke to the executive headteacher, the head of school and a range of staff, including the special educational needs coordinator and the designated safeguarding lead.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors. They also met with representatives from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, art, and science. For each deep dive, inspectors spoke with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils and looked at samples of their work. Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum for design and technology and religious education. Inspectors looked at samples of work for these

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subjects and spoke with pupils.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and the school improvement plan.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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.  Inspectors considered the views of parents through their responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the views of staff through Ofsted’s online survey for staff. An inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Norbury, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Angela Kirk 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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