Eaton Bray Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Eaton Bray Academy School Lane, Eaton Bray, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 2DT

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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Outcome

Eaton Bray 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 Lynne Mercer. This school is part of Eaton Bray Academy, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is chaired by Emma Jane Howe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and describe it as ‘an extension of their family’. The school wants every pupil to reach their full potential both personally and academically. Pupils gain a secure understanding in different subjects. The school takes the time to get to know its pupils well. This allows the school to adapt teaching successfully to meet each pupil’s needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In their time here, pupils develop a good understanding of what makes healthy relationships and friendships. They forge positive working relationships with staff. They know that staff are there to support and motivate them. In lessons and around the school, most pupils have positive attitudes towards each other and their learning. Where some pupils struggle with this, staff take appropriate action to support them in making the right choices.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils gain leadership experience from taking on roles and responsibilities in their classrooms and around the school. They support members of the local community, such as by volunteering at the local church. Pupils benefit from carefully chosen educational visits to strengthen their understanding of the curriculum. Many of these visits are local, including to a train museum and a mosque. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 particularly enjoy the two residential trips. 26 and 27 November 2024

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

The schools’ chosen curriculum has recently undergone significant changes in most subjects. This new curriculum is more ambitious. It is coherently designed and ordered. The improvements in the curriculum are already having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. Younger pupils are securing new concepts better and faster. Despite this, pupils in key stage 2, who have spent more time learning the previous curriculum, still have some gaps in their knowledge. The school is aware of this, and staff have started to plug these gaps through a carefully tailored catch-up programme.

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

Children make a very strong start to their learning when they join in early years. The school makes sure that it gathers information about what every child knows and can do as soon as they start. The curriculum is adapted to support each child expertly so that the majority have the skills and knowledge to help them be successful in Year 1.

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

The school makes sure that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early on. This helps these pupils to access the curriculum alongside their peers from the start.

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

The strong starting points in early years are followed through as pupils go up the school. For example, the same visuals, techniques and resources are used in mathematics in every year group. Pupils become familiar with them. By the time they are in Year 4, pupils can choose to use them or move on to more sophisticated methods.

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

Many pupils are extremely excited to discuss their favourite authors and books. The school makes sure that every pupil learns to read and wastes no time in getting them started. Pupils at risk of falling behind receive the support they need so that they catch up quickly. This includes older pupils and pupils new to the school. When necessary, staff work closely with external professional agencies to support pupils with SEND even further. This helps ensure that they make the best possible progress through the curriculum.

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

While provisional published outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are below national expectations, the school does provide an effective education for pupils, and pupils are catching up quicker than previously because of the effectiveness of the revised curriculum. Some pupils join the school at different times, for example later on in key stage 2. This presents the school with challenges, which it is overcoming.

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

Many pupils attend well. The school works extremely hard with families to get their children in school every day. It puts support in place for those who struggle. In most cases, pupils’ attendance improves over time.

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

Pupils are taught how to behave well. Staff apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently and fairly. Most pupils demonstrate highly positive attitudes and commitment to their learning. They show resilience when they face challenges, as this is explicitly taught in early years and further developed each year that they are at the school. The school provides pupils with opportunities to enrich their learning. Many clubs and 26 and 27 November 2024

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competitions are on offer and are well attended by pupils. Staff teach pupils how to keep safe, in person and online.

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Parents and carers are positive about the school. Staff really enjoy working here. They say their workload is manageable and appreciate the way leaders look out for their well- being.

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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 develop the curriculum in some subjects is new. It is not fully implemented as the school intends because of its recent introduction. Consequently, pupils, particularly those in key stage 2, have not yet gained the depth of knowledge that they should. The school should fully implement the effective curriculum so that pupils know more and remember more across all subjects and catch up on curriculum content they have missed.

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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 May 2019. 26 and 27 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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 May 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up the post in September 2020.  The school has pre-school provision for two-year-olds.  The school is not currently using any alternate provision.  The school operates a before- and after-school provision.  There is a high mobility of pupils at this school. This means that a larger-than-average number of pupils join and leave the school at times other than Reception and Year 6.

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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. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 The inspector spoke to school leaders, including the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. In addition, they spoke to trustees, including the chair of trustees.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspector gathered the views of pupils and staff through discussions and from the online surveys.  The inspector gathered the views of parents spoken to at the school gate and through the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou, lead inspector 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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