Mid Essex Co-Operative Academy

Inspection of Mid Essex Co-Operative Academy The Street, Heybridge, Maldon, Essex CM9 4NB

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 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 Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Richard Skyers. This school is part of the Keys Co- operative 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), Lydia Sherborne, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Roger Abo-Henriksen. The head of the primary setting is Jaki Cole-Kelly. 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is successfully preparing pupils to go back to full-time education. Many sustain their placements when they go back to mainstream schools or when they go to post-16 colleges. This is because the school carefully matches the curriculum to pupils’ aspirations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff’s high expectations of what pupils can achieve gives pupils confidence. Pupils grasp the opportunity to have another chance at education. As a result, pupils typically gain a suite of qualifications that they did not think was possible. Pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs learn resilience, how to interact and how to manage risk. Pupils benefit from activities such as rock climbing, beekeeping and motorbike maintenance, which take them out of their comfort zone. Primary pupils develop the tools they need to function in the wider world, for example they enjoy their weekly swimming sessions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour around both sites is calm. Occasionally, pupils fall below the school’s expectations with their behaviour. When this occurs, staff consistently apply the school’s behaviour policy. The school’s warm and nurturing ethos provides a safe space to learn. Pupils who were previously anxious about attending school, learn to engage and be successful learners again.

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and tailored to pupils’ special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND). For instance, in the primary setting, some pupils follow a sensory curriculum. This helps them develop the behaviour and skills they need for learning. In the secondary setting, some pupils undertake work placements or vocational courses to help with socialisation and preparation for future careers. This runs alongside learning core academic subjects, such as English and mathematics. Pupils who learn off site in the local community receive specialist face-to-face teaching.

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

The curriculum is well delivered. There is a sharp focus on helping pupils engage in their learning. Staff carefully consider pupils’ starting points to make sure they are confident when learning new material. Staff keep explanations short and focused. They break subject matter down so that pupils understand and make connections in their learning. In some lessons, staff are clear about how pupils should respond to their questions. They model talk and the use of subject-specific vocabulary effectively. However, on occasion, pupils are not helped sufficiently to explain and discuss their ideas. While pupils have targets for communication in their personalised learning plans, there is no agreed school approach to the development of pupils’ oracy.

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

The school has strengthened its provision for reading. The school has ensured that staff have the expertise to teach pupils how to read in the secondary setting. Appropriate programmes, including phonics and fluency, are in place to support early readers. Staff consider the readability of texts across the curriculum. This means that pupils read extracts and books that are matched to their reading abilities. 26 and 27 November 2024

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The school’s systems for the identification of pupils’ needs and support are working well. Staff watch closely to see if there are changes in pupils’ behaviour. They notice readily when a pupil is becoming upset or anxious. Staff are well versed in pupils’ personalised learning plans. They make judicious choices as to what de-escalation method will support a pupil best. For example, deciding when to use a weighted blanket with younger pupils to restore calm. However, too many pupils receive a suspension when they first join the secondary setting. In some cases, the school’s work to improve behaviour is not having the effect it should. As a result, some pupils receive repeat suspensions.

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Giving pupils the toolkit they need to succeed in life is at the heart of the school’s work. Pupils follow a comprehensive curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. Pupils also undertake therapeutic sessions to improve their mental health. The enrichment programme gives pupils opportunities they would not ordinarily experience, such as canoeing in Danbury. The careers education programme is a strength in the school. The school makes full use of its links with post-16 providers, employers and alternative provision. Pupils are well informed about their next steps.

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The trust and the governing body hold the school strongly to account. This includes making sure staffs’ well-being is looked after.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school is unclear in its expectations of how staff should develop pupils’ oracy. As a result, sometimes, pupils are not enabled to communicate well. The school should implement its plans to develop oracy across the school so that pupils’ communication skills improve.  Suspensions for a small group of pupils remain high. This interrupts their learning and their progression through the curriculum. The school should continue its efforts to reduce repeat suspensions and review pupils’ induction to the setting, so they quickly understand the school’s expectations for behaviour.

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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. 26 and 27 November 2024

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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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

School category Academy alternative provision converter

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 April 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is based over two sites. The secondary site is based at The Street, Heybridge CM9 4NB. The primary site is based at Church Street, Witham CM8 2JL.  The school caters for pupils who have had significant disruption to their education. Pupils are referred by the local authority, typically because they have been excluded from mainstream schools, special schools or pupil referral units.  Pupils typically have complex needs, including autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.  Pupils who cannot attend on site due to medical needs or who have anxiety about attending school are educated off site by the school’s staff.  The school uses four unregistered alternative provisions.  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

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Information about this school

approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 26 and 27 November 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.  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 chair of the trust, the CEO, the vice chair of the local governing body, the headteachers of the secondary and primary settings, senior leaders and staff.  The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, art 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 considered and discussed the curriculums in other subjects: hospitality and catering, history, music, digital skills and PSHE.

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Information about this inspection

 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.  The inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text comments that were submitted. They also took account of the responses to the confidential Ofsted staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Liz Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Susan Sutton Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 November 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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