Tiverton Academy

Inspection of Tiverton Academy Tiverton Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, West Midlands B29 6BW

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Inspection dates: 24 September, and 1 and 2 October

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

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The principal of this school is Tracey Dunn. This school is part of The Elliot Foundation 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, Hugh Greenway, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tim Coulson.

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since March 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 24 September, and 1 and 2 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Tiverton Academy welcomes pupils from all backgrounds and ethnicities. Pupils appreciate being considered as an individual and know that their well-being is prioritised. The school’s values, known as the ‘6 Cs’, underpin the school’s ethos. These focus on the skills pupils need in school and daily life. They include cooperation, communication, community, citizenship, creativity and challenge.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of all pupils. This includes children in the early years and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The new leadership team has made rapid changes to improve the curriculum in all subjects, including English and mathematics. This has been successful and has had a positive impact on outcomes, especially in early reading.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They treat others with respect and kindness. They know that discrimination of any kind is wrong. Where unkind or unacceptable behaviour occurs, staff deal with incidents appropriately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the additional activities which support and enrich the curriculum. This includes clubs such as sewing, Lego and racquet club and interesting educational visits. Pupils develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe as this is threaded across the whole curriculum.

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better?

The revised curriculum now better matches the national curriculum in all subjects. The school provides effective support and training so that teachers can deliver the curriculum successfully to all pupils, including those with SEND. All subjects are carefully mapped out so that learning is progressive and builds from early years to Year 6.

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better?

In most subjects, teachers have good subject knowledge and are confident in their delivery. This includes English and mathematics. They revisit prior learning at the start of the lesson. For example, ‘Flashback 4’ in mathematics helps pupils recall past work before new concepts are introduced. However, in a few subjects in the wider curriculum, teachers are still adjusting to new content. Sometimes, what is intended to be learned is unclear, and the tasks set do not help pupils acquire the knowledge and skills identified. Consequently, pupils do not learn as well as they could in these subjects.

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better?

The school has effective systems in place to identify pupils with SEND early. Support is provided to ensure that these pupils access the same curriculum as their peers. This includes providing one-to-one support for pupils with complex needs and teachers adapting learning where needed. Sports coaches also provide ‘sensory circuit’ sessions to help pupils with their gross and fine motor skills. Consequently, pupils’ needs are well catered for. 24 September, and 1 and 2 October 2024

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Teachers check how well pupils learn and their understanding through effective questioning and marking pupils’ work. They use this information well to identify struggling pupils and follow up any misconceptions or difficulties in the next lesson. However, the school’s approach to checking how well pupils retain and recall key information in the wider curriculum is still at an early stage. This means that staff do not always know where pupils have deficits or gaps in their knowledge.

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The school is determined that all pupils should learn to read and enjoy reading. Revisions made to the teaching of phonics are paying dividends. The vast majority of pupils in Year 1 met the expected standard in phonics this year, as did every pupil in Year 2. Staff ensure that pupils who struggle get the extra help they need. Books are well matched to pupils’ abilities. Well-trained reading volunteers listen to struggling readers. This helps boost pupils’ confidence and fluency.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy school and most attend regularly. Pupils often work with partners as part of the school’s approach to collaborative learning. They are eager to participate in lessons and follow instructions carefully. Staff manage behaviour well, including for pupils with complex and additional needs.

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An effective personal development programme prepares pupils well for the future. Pupils have a strong understanding of equality and inclusion. They learn about different cultures and religions and celebrate the diversity within their school. Pupils understand the importance of healthy lifestyles and positive relationships. The school also provides opportunities to develop skills and talents beyond the classroom. This includes being in the ‘super choir’ or a ‘Panathlon’ competitor in sporting events for pupils with SEND.

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The trust has a secure working knowledge of the school. It evaluates the information provided by the school and uses it to challenge leaders and identify where support is needed. Trustees closely monitor pupils’ achievement and personal development. They also check staff well-being and safety through trust audits and surveys. Staff appreciate the training and opportunities offered by the trust.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects in the wider curriculum, teachers do not always make the learning clear or set tasks that help pupils gain the skills and knowledge needed for future learning. Sometimes, pupils engage in low-level activities and do not extend their learning. The school should continue to review and develop the identified subject areas and monitor the intended curriculum’s implementation 24 September, and 1 and 2 October 2024

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and impact.  The school’s approach to checking how well pupils recall and use prior knowledge in the wider curriculum is not sufficiently established. As a result, pupils have gaps and misconceptions in their learning which are not picked up and addressed. The school should ensure that its assessment methods enable teachers to check how well pupils know and remember what they learn.

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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). 24 September, and 1 and 2 October 2024

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School details

Inspection number 10343771 Type of school Primary

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 March 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The principal was appointed in June 2023, having previously been the vice- principal at the school.  The school is part of The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust.  The school does not make use of 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). 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. 24 September, and 1 and 2 October 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.  The inspection started on 24 September. It was paused in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Inspectors returned on 1 and 2 October to complete the inspection.  The inspectors met with the principal and senior leaders. They also spoke to the senior regional director of the trust for the West Midlands on site and four other trustees remotely, including the chair of the trust board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art and design and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some

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pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plans. Reports from external reviews and trust audits were also scrutinised.  Inspectors looked at records of attendance and behaviour. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and talked to them informally about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  The inspectors talked to parents at the start of the school day and considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and their free-text responses. They also reviewed the responses to the staff survey and gathered the views of staff and pupils through discussion.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors checked the school’s single central record; spoke to senior leaders about safeguarding procedures;

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took account of the views of 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.

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Inspection team

Heather Simpson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Diana Pearce Ofsted Inspector 24 September, and 1 and 2 October 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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