River Dart Academy

Inspection of River Dart Academy Shinners Bridge, Dartington, Devon TQ9 6JD

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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

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The principal of this school is Tessa Claridge. This school is part of Wave Multi 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 (CEO), Robert Gasson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Justin Day.

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When River Dart Academy was inspected in January 2023, it was judged to require special measures. Subsequently, the school was inspected on two occasions. At the last monitoring inspection, leaders were judged to have made progress to improve the school, but more work was necessary for the category of concern to be removed. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending River Dart Academy. Many arrive at school with negative experiences of education. Here, pupils feel safe, listened to and respected. Pupils highly appreciate the personalised support they receive. One pupil summed up the views of many, saying the school is a ‘safe place for a fresh start’. Parents and carers spoken with agree. They rightly know the school ‘does not give up’ on children. Communication between the school and parents is strong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve personally and academically. Pupil aspirations form a vital part of the school’s provision. Staff are adamant that pupils will succeed. They tailor the curriculum expertly to support individual needs. This allows pupils to engage in learning with increasing confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave with respect and consideration. They quickly learn how to interact positively with their school community. Pupils know that their peers can struggle with behaviour. When behaviour deteriorates, staff manage it sensitively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive. The school provides carefully thought-out support for pupils’ learning and emotional needs. Staff develop positive relationships with pupils and offer strong pastoral support, enabling pupils to be ready to learn.

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

The school places pupils at the centre of everything it does. The school’s vision of enabling pupils to ‘achieve within an environment where everyone can flourish’ is demonstrated in its inclusive culture. Staff treat pupils fairly and equally. The school has clear and swift processes in place to identify individual needs for pupils with SEND. These enable the school to provide bespoke support and adaptations to the curriculum. The school regularly checks the impact of this work to assure itself it is making a difference.

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

Reading lies at the heart of the curriculum. It is prioritised across all subjects. A daily focus on reading supports pupils to develop reading fluency and comprehension skills. Staff choose texts carefully to spark pupils’ interest and to develop positive attitudes towards reading. They provide effective personalised support for pupils who require extra practice.

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

The school’s core curriculum, which includes English, mathematics, science, art and personal, social and health education, sets out clearly what pupils need to know and remember. Staff have strong subject knowledge. They adapt learning to help pupils build on their prior knowledge and understanding. For example, in mathematics, staff deepen pupils’ knowledge through careful and probing questioning. Adults check pupils’ prior understanding, for example when solving algebraic problems. However, in a minority of wider curriculum subjects, the school’s work to implement an effective curriculum is at the early stages. Where this is the case, pupils do not gain the depth of knowledge leaders intend. 12 and 13 November 2024

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The school is a calm and purposeful place in which to learn. Each day gets off to a positive start. Staff greet pupils as they arrive. This welcoming start builds positive relationships and enables checks on pupils’ well-being. Pupils engage well, both in learning and social times. The school tracks patterns of behaviour carefully and provides appropriate support to manage any concerns that may arise.

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The school understands the importance of pupils attending regularly. It has a relentless thirst for ensuring pupils’ attendance consistently improves. Staff unpick any barriers to attendance. The school works with parents to bring about improvements when pupils’ attendance is less regular.

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The personal development of pupils is a strength that threads though the curriculum. The school is rightly proud of its programme of enrichment and work placement opportunities. Pupils have access to a wealth of different experiences beyond the academic within the locality, such as visits and trips to a range of religious buildings and local businesses. Staff provide pupils with relevant and unbiased careers guidance. The school thinks creatively about post-16 opportunities, taking pupils’ aspirations into account. Pupils have a secure understanding of difference and tolerance within their community and beyond. The curriculum supports their understanding of equality and diversity.

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Trust and governance leaders know the school well. They ensure continuous challenge and rigour alongside positive guidance and support. This enables the school to continually reflect on its practice and adapt to the ever-changing cohorts within its setting. Staff are highly positive about the support they receive, both personally and professionally.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s work to implement additional subjects beyond the core curriculum is relatively recent. As a result, pupils do not acquire the depth of knowledge in these subjects that the school would like them to. The school and trust should ensure that staff are supported to implement and adapt all subjects effectively, so that pupils deepen their knowledge and skills across the curriculum. 12 and 13 November 2024

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

School category Academy alternative provision sponsor-led

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School details

Website www.wavemat.org/river-dart-academy

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 June 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 River Dart Academy is part of the Wave Multi Academy Trust, which comprises of nine regional alternative provision academies across Devon and Cornwall, two medical academies and a special academy for pupils with social and communication interaction needs.  Pupil referrals are received from Devon local authority.  All pupils at the school have SEND. Some have an education, health and care plan (EHC plan). The school currently has some EHC plans at different stages of the EHC plan assessment process.  The school uses five unregistered alternative provisions.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils from Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 12 and 13 November 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a graded (section 5) inspection under the same Act. 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

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal and other senior leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator, groups of staff and pupils, the CEO, the chair of the trust board, members of the governor hub and trust executive leaders. The lead inspector also held a telephone conversation with a representative from Devon local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed 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 also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Year 11 read to an adult.  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 considered responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments, and to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff. The lead inspector held telephone conversations with two parents.

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Inspection team

Heather Barraclough, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Vaughan Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 November 2024

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