Acorn Free School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Acorn Free School 248 Calder Road, Brant Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN5 9TL

p.1

Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

p.1

Outcome

Acorn Free School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this school. Pupils enjoy attending school and display positive attitudes to learning. Parents and carers are highly supportive of the school. Typical comments from parents include, ‘It’s been the best opportunity ever for my child,’ and ‘The staff team provide amazing support.’

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. There are respectful relationships between pupils and staff. Staff work well to get to know and understand the pupils. They provide high-quality support to help pupils learn about themselves and how to manage their behaviour. Pupils say that staff listen to them and follow up any concerns they have. Pupils feel safe at school. The school’s work supports pupils to regulate their behaviour and engage with learning effectively. Most pupils in key stage 3 integrate back into their mainstream schools successfully.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations. The curriculum enables pupils to achieve GCSEs and qualifications in vocational subjects, such as mechanical engineering and photography. Pupils enjoy regular trips to take photographs of landmarks in Lincolnshire. Pupils work hard and achieve well. The courses pupils study at school have helped some of them select courses at colleges for post-16 studies.

p.1

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

The school has successfully developed an ambitious curriculum. The curriculum has been well thought out to ensure that pupils build their knowledge over time. In mathematics, the school has identified the key knowledge and concepts that pupils need to master. Pupils can independently recall previous learning about multiplying negative numbers. This helps them to solve calculations using algebra. In science, pupils use their knowledge 21 and 22 January 2025

p.1

2

of elements in the periodic table to recall chemical bonds. Pupils present their work neatly in all subjects. Pupils are achieving well.

p.2

2

The school prioritises reading for those pupils who have fallen behind. These pupils are heard to read regularly. The pupils’ reading books are well matched to their reading abilities. Pupils become fluent readers and are willing to read for extended periods of time.

p.2

2

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Strategies are developed to help meet the needs of pupils with SEND. The strategies are used well and pupils make good progress.

p.2

2

In English, pupils strive to write imaginatively. They gain a good knowledge of language techniques. One pupil wrote, ‘The spikey forks of lightning shook the shadowy night.’ In the child development course, pupils write stories for young children. They discuss themes of books for this age group and are proud of their own compositions.

p.2

2

There are a few occasions in lessons where the staff do not check whether pupils understand the learning well enough. As a result, pupils sometimes become confused and they do not develop their knowledge as well as they could.

p.2

2

Pupils conduct themselves well in classrooms and around school. Pupils are polite and engage well in conversation with their peers and adults. The pupils earn points for good work. They have helped to choose the rewards for achieving well. Pupils benefit from regular conversations with members of the ‘engagement team’. Pupils feel supported. The school tracks pupils’ attendance closely. It takes prompt action if a pupil does not attend. Many pupils have much higher attendance in education since arriving at this school.

p.2

2

The school has devised a comprehensive personal development programme. Pupils are made aware of the dangers of illegal drugs, gangs and unhealthy relationships. The school celebrates diversity. For example, the pupils study Black History Month. Pupils are respectful of people who have protected characteristics. The careers programme is well planned to support pupils with their post-16 choices. The school supports pupils to gain places on courses which match their aspirations.

p.2

2

Leaders are improving the school very well. All decisions are made in the best interests of pupils. Governors check the effectiveness of the school’s work to provide a high quality of education closely. Staff feel very supported and morale is high.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 21 and 22 January 2025

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On a few occasions, teachers do not consistently check whether pupils understand their learning well enough. As a result, pupils are sometimes confused and do not develop their knowledge and understanding as well as they could. The school must ensure that teachers check if pupils understand their learning and use this information to shape the curriculum and teaching to help pupils develop their knowledge and understanding.

p.3

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2015.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 21 and 22 January 2025

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 21 and 22 January 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of a single-academy trust, The Acorn EBS Free School Ltd.  In June 2023, a new chair of the board of trustees was appointed.  The school does not use alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of the 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.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also listened to pupils read. 21 and 22 January 2025

p.5

6

 The inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and curriculum leaders for English, mathematics, science and personal development.  Inspectors met with the chair of the board of trustees and a member.  Inspectors spoke with parents on the telephone.  Inspectors spoke with members of staff from mainstream schools who use Acorn Free School for alternative provision.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

p.6

Inspection team

Martin Finch, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

James Laming Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 January 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7