Crawshaw Academy

Inspection of Crawshaw Academy Robin Lane, Pudsey, West Yorkshire LS28 9HU

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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

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The interim principal of this school is Matthew West. This school is part of Red Kite Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Richard Sheriff, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Chris Tulley. 15 and 16 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has clear ambitions for pupils to achieve their best, underpinned by a belief that they deserve every opportunity to succeed. Older pupils and staff acknowledge the positive changes that are being made to improve the education on offer. However, some pupils do not achieve well enough. The quality of education that pupils receive is varied across subjects and within subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and attitudes. However, these are not consistently realised. While many pupils exhibit positive behaviour, some do not behave well enough. Some pupils disrupt the learning of others. Many pupils are happy here and some describe the school as a family. They know that they are safe and looked after. Pupils know that adults will listen to them if they need to share any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of leadership opportunities at the school. The members of the student leadership team are eloquent ambassadors for the school and a valued voice within the school community. They work with year group representatives to influence positive change within the school. Pupils access high-quality sporting and performance activities.

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

The school and trust have correctly identified and are addressing the areas that need to improve. New leaders are taking the right actions to improve the school. Leaders have worked with determination to improve the quality of education that pupils receive. Pupils in some lessons benefit from a well-planned, ambitious curriculum delivered effectively by teaching staff. However, this is not consistently in place in all lessons or all subjects. On occasions, teachers move pupils on to new ideas too quickly before they are ready. This results in knowledge gaps that are not addressed. Recent improvements to the school’s quality assurance systems are clarifying where staff need support and training to improve the implementation of the curriculum.

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

There is variation in how well behaviour is managed. Low-level disruption sometimes interrupts classroom learning. Boisterous behaviour by some pupils during social times and transitions is not consistently well managed. This undermines the school’s work to maintain a calm, respectful culture. The school prioritises and actively works to improve attendance, particularly for pupils who have previously experienced disruption to their learning. Over time, attendance improves for these pupils and behaviour becomes more settled as pupils recognise the value of education. Pupils succeed when they engage positively and have their needs met. A new relational-based behaviour system is in place that is beginning to raise expectations of how pupils should behave.

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

Pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs who attend the ‘Pathways’ provision thrive. They benefit from tailored support from well-informed, kind staff who understand their needs. In the mainstream classroom, there is variation in how well pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported. Sometimes, the targets and teaching strategies for these pupils lack clarity and do not align with their 15 and 16 October 2024

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specific needs. When this happens, pupils do not progress through the curriculum as well as they should.

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The school knows that some pupils need help to read accurately and with confidence. They receive appropriate interventions from well-trained staff. This helps them to improve their literacy skills and develop a greater self-assurance in their reading abilities. As a result, they can engage more fully with the curriculum.

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‘Curriculum for life’ lessons teach pupils about their role in society, including concepts like protected characteristics and respectful citizenship. The school offers many extra- curricular activities for talent development. It is rightfully proud of its high-quality performances and sports success. Pupils explore various career opportunities. Older pupils are eager for their next steps and feel well prepared for the future, though some share that they will miss the school!

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Staff take pride in working here, knowing the school and trust prioritise their well-being and offer valuable support and training opportunities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The ambition of the planned curriculum is not consistently achieved across the school. On occasions, teaching does not sufficiently consolidate prior learning, limiting pupils’ ability to securely move on to new knowledge. The school and trust should work with staff to better implement the curriculum.  The targets and teaching strategies for pupils with SEND in mainstream classrooms sometimes lack clarity and are not sufficiently tailored to their individual needs. This limits how well these pupils can access the curriculum, fully engage in lessons, and make sustained progress. The trust should ensure that all staff have the necessary training and ongoing support to meet the needs of all pupils, particularly those with SEND.  There is variation in how well behaviour is managed. Low-level disruption can interrupt learning and the boisterous behaviour of some pupils can undermine calmness outside of lessons. The school should ensure that the recently introduced behaviour policy is

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

fully embedded to help all pupils understand and meet the school’s expectations for behaviour.  Although new leadership structures and stronger systems are now in place to support improvement, inconsistencies remain in some areas of leadership and management. This affects the pace of overall improvement. The trust should ensure that they provide 15 and 16 October 2024

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leaders at all levels with the necessary support and resources they need to build on the positive steps already taken and drive sustained, meaningful improvements.

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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 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). 15 and 16 October 2024

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,120

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School details

Principal Matthew West (interim principal)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 July 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Red Kite Learning Trust.  Since the last inspection, in July 2019, a number of new leaders have been appointed. The interim principal took up his position the week prior to the inspection.  The school has currently suspended the sixth-from provision.  The school makes use of three registered and six unregistered alternative provisions.  The school runs an on-site specialist provision for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. At the time of the inspection, 15 pupils were registered to attend this setting.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical educational qualifications and apprenticeships. 15 and 16 October 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 met with senior leaders, staff and pupils. They also spoke with representatives from the board of trustees and the local governing body, including the vice-chair of the trust board and the chair of governors. Inspectors also spoke with the chief executive officer and other staff from the multi-academy trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors visited a sample of

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Information about this inspection

lessons in other subjects and discussed the curriculum in some other subjects. An inspector listened to some pupils reading.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school. They also took into consideration the online pupil surveys.  The views of staff were considered through discussions with staff and from the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. Inspectors considered the views of parents through the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and through telephone conversations held with some parents.

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Inspection team

Eleanor Belfield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Ed Hall Ofsted Inspector Melanie Kane Ofsted Inspector Harkireet Sohel Ofsted Inspector Rebekah Ramsden Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 October 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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