Camulos Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Camulos Academy Whitmore Drive, Via Urbis Romanea, Colchester, Essex CO4 6AL

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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Outcome

Camulos Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Lisa Frith-Sly. This school is part of REAch2 Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Cathy Paine, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gavin Robert.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm, friendly school where everyone is welcome. Pupils enjoy coming to school because they know that they are valued for their individuality.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils. They support pupils to demonstrate ‘learning powers’ to help them in their lessons. Pupils strive, for example, to be reflective and resilient because they know it will help them with their learning. They know the importance of working hard and contributing to discussions. Pupils are confident to talk about what they have been learning and how this has developed over time. As a result, pupils learn well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind and respectful. They behave well. They have strong relationships with each other as well as adults. Pupils have someone that they can talk to if needed, and they know that they will help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a wide variety of opportunities in addition to the academic curriculum. They can access leadership roles where they know they can make a difference to the school. For example, the eco-monitors have ensured there are a variety of recycling bins around the school for pupils to access. There are a wide range of clubs that develop pupils’ talents and interests. 26 and 27 November 2024

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

The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum that interests pupils and is relevant to the local area. Staff have good subject knowledge that they deliver in an engaging way. The school has a consistent approach to teaching. Staff carefully model the work to pupils. They give guidance quickly and effectively, so that pupils can move forward with their learning. Staff check pupils’ understanding of topics through ‘Camulos question time’, which the school has developed. Staff ensure that pupils revisit key knowledge regularly to help pupils remember it. Pupils talk confidently about their learning, giving examples where appropriate.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met across the curriculum. There are clear processes in place to identify pupils with SEND. Staff are well trained and have secure knowledge of adaptations that ensure that pupils with SEND are fully included in the curriculum. However, for some pupils with SEND, the next steps in their learning are not identified clearly. This means teachers do not always know if pupils have achieved their next steps and are ready to move on to a new target.

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

The school prioritises reading. Well-trained staff teach phonics consistently throughout the school, starting in the early years. Any pupils who need additional practice or support receive it, enabling them to catch up. Pupils enjoy the wide range of texts that they have access to in school and online. Pupils practise their reading as much as possible, which enables them to become confident and fluent readers.

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

There is a clear and well-understood behaviour policy in the school. Pupils know the consequences for the different types of behaviour. Staff analyse situations and work with pupils and their families when incidents do occur. This ensures that pupils are well supported and behaviours are not repeated. The school supports families to ensure good attendance from all. Therefore, pupils attend school well.

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

The school has carefully thought through its personal development programme. It ensures that all aspects of what pupils are learning tie together. This includes assemblies, cultural celebrations, charity work and the school’s ‘learning powers’. Pupils are confident in communicating this work as well as the work they complete as part of their personal, social and health education curriculum. They discuss scenarios and use these to reason through different situations. Pupils are passionate to complete the 11 experiences that the trust sets out for them to achieve before they turn 11 years of age. One of these is to cross a border. Therefore, pupils in Year 6 travel to France for a residential visit.

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

Staff enjoy working at the school. They work in a supportive environment where they can ask anyone for help and support. Staff’s professional development is well thought through and considered by the school and trust. The school carefully considers deadlines to ensure that staff workload is well managed. The trust and the school work well together, both having high aspirations for all pupils. 26 and 27 November 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 For a few pupils with SEND, learning targets lack precision. This makes it difficult to measure the success of the target and when it is suitable to move the target on. The school should ensure that these pupils’ targets are clearer, so success of the target is known by all. This will help all pupils with SEND to achieve as well as they could.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2019.

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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

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 July 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the REAch2 Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s educational provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the chair of the local governing body, the trustee lead of the local cluster and the deputy director of education.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.

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Inspection team

Katie Devenport His Majesty’s 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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