Pine Green Academy

Inspection of Pine Green Academy Valley Park Campus, Cromer Gardens, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV6 0UB

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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

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The headteacher of this school is Daniel Hartley. This school is part of Shaw Education 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), Jo Heard-Jones, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Meehan. The headteacher is also an executive headteacher, who is responsible for this school and Evergreen Academy. 14 and15 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pine Green Academy has been on a transformational improvement. Positive relationships are at the heart of the school. Staff believe in their pupils and pupils believe in themselves. As a result of this, pupils are confident, safe and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school environment is warm and welcoming. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere. Pupils are polite and respectful to staff and visitors. Pupils know the behaviour that is expected of them. This means that low-level disruption is managed well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff take time to understand the pupils’ needs and interests. Adapted resources help pupils access their learning. Personal interventions help pupils gain a deeper understanding of themselves. As a result, the school’s provision for pupils’ personal development plays a major role in preparing them effectively for the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s work on careers is exceptional. Pupils take part in a range of work experience activities, including in retail, healthcare, animal care and automotive services. As a result of this, pupils have ambitions and are well prepared for adulthood.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well. At the end of Year 11, pupils achieve a range of qualifications. These include entry level qualifications, BTEC National Diplomas and GCSEs. All pupils move on to a positive destination, ranging from apprenticeships to college placements.

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

The curriculum is ambitious, broad and balanced. The school has identified the precise knowledge and skills pupils need to remember. Curriculum plans are progressive and build on prior knowledge. This means that teachers have a good understanding of what to teach. As a result of this, pupils achieve well.

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

The school offers a wide range of subjects. The topics that pupils learn are interesting and purposeful, meaning pupils engage well in lessons. For example, in primary, pupils learn about important people in our community. In secondary, pupils learn about climate change and the function of our parliament.

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

The school has prioritised reading. Teachers receive regular training in teaching phonics, which they teach well. Teachers check that pupils understand what they learn in phonics lessons. If pupils fall behind, they receive effective support to help them catch up. Pupils read with enjoyment and increasing fluency. There are reward points for reading out loud in lessons. As a result of this, pupils make effective progress through the reading curriculum.

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

There is some variation in the teaching of the curriculum. For example, the school does not check how well pupils have remembered the knowledge they have been taught in some instances. As a result of this, some pupils in some subject areas are not as secure in their learning. 14 and15 January 2025

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The school’s work on attendance is commendable. Attendance continues to improve each year. The school’s rewards system is motivating and encourages pupils to make good choices. As a result of this, pupil attendance has improved.

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All pupils have opportunities to widen their interests and hobbies. The school has linked these experiences to the curriculum content and its ambitions. This work is exceptional. Pupils experience archery lessons and rock climbing. A recent residential trip to London was a particular highlight for some pupils. As part of the trip, pupils visited a theatre, museum and football stadium. As a result of this, pupils are given excellent opportunities to share experiences in the wider community.

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The school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum is strong. Pupils have a secure understanding of how to stay safe online and offline. In key stage 4, pupils take part in ethics and preparation for adulthood lessons. As a result of this, pupils are well prepared for adulthood.

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Leaders are ambitious and have high expectations. The trust has played an important role in the positive transformation of the school. However, the school does not have full oversight of the curriculum. This means that some subjects are not taught consistently across the school. As a result of this, in some subjects, some pupils do not learn the curriculum content securely.

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There is a positive staff culture. Staff feel supported in their well-being and workload. Leaders have an open-door policy and provide purposeful training opportunities. As a result of this, staff feel valued and committed to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not yet implemented its assessment strategy fully. As a result, in some subjects, some gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not identified and addressed, and so remain. The school should ensure that its approach to assessment is implemented securely across all subjects so that teachers can accurately identify what pupils can remember and build on their prior knowledge.  The school does not have oversight on how all aspects of the curriculum are being implemented. This means that, in some subject areas, some pupils are not remembering the curriculum securely. The school needs to ensure it has effective systems in place to accurately identify strengths and developmental areas across the curriculum. 14 and15 January 2025

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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). 14 and15 January 2025

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School details

School category Academy special sponsor-led

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 The school shares its site with a pupil referral unit, which is also part of the trust.  The board of directors of the trust has overall responsibility for governance. However, the operational running of the school is delegated to a local academy council.  All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Most pupils have social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 11 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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 14 and15 January 2025

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(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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 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 held meetings with the headteacher and other leaders.  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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, English and PSHE. 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.  An inspector listened to some pupils read.

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 An inspector met with the CEO, a trustee and a member of the local governing council.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text responses. Inspectors also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of documents, including school improvement plans, the school website and minutes from governor meetings.  An inspector spoke to parents at the school gate.

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Inspection team

David Lisowski, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Heather Phillips Ofsted Inspector 14 and15 January 2025

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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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