Belleville Wix Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Belleville Wix Academy Wix's Lane, Clapham Common North Side, London SW4 0AJ

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Séana Henry. This school is part of Quality First 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), John Grove, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Brian Leadbetter.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this vibrant, friendly school where they feel happy and safe. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and nurturing. Staff know and look after pupils well. Some pupils join the school at different points during the year. They say that they are made to feel welcome straight away and that they make new friends quickly. The school supports its pupils to develop perseverance and resilience. Pupils display these values as they consistently work hard in lessons and take part actively in discussions. High aspiration shapes the goals for pupils’ learning. Pupils achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum. Many pupils achieve high standards in the subjects that they are studying. Pupils behave impeccably. Their positive attitudes contribute to a successful learning environment. They listen carefully to adults and follow instructions promptly. Pupils live up to the school’s values of being caring, considerate, and articulate.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school celebrates the diversity found in its community. Parents and carers and pupils appreciate the benefits of being part of a bilingual school. The school community showcases its respective cultures at an International Families Day event. This understanding of diversity and equality helps with pupils’ preparation for life in modern Britain. 11 and 12 February 2025

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

Pupils have an excellent start to their education here. As soon as they join the early years, staff assess and determine children’s starting points. This includes identifying children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This means that pupils with SEND get the support that they need at the earliest opportunity. The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. As soon as children start in the early years, they benefit from the expert teaching of early reading. They remember and use their phonics knowledge accurately by reading books that match the sounds that they already know. Pupils who are falling behind in their phonics receive effective support. They catch up quickly. Consequently, most pupils in this school are reading fluently by the end of Year 2. Pupils’ writing skills are also well developed as they regularly practise what they are taught, including their handwriting.

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

The curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that pupils build on their prior learning. In Reception, for example, children identify, and can add to, patterns of shapes and colours. By the time they are in Year 6, they can recognise complex patterns in numbers which supports their learning about algebra. Staff deliver the curriculum with expertise, selecting effective strategies to support pupils’ learning. They carefully sequence knowledge to help pupils connect new concepts with prior learning. Through thoughtful questioning, staff encourage pupils to engage in lively discussions and think deeply about their subjects. Teachers artfully adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. These pupils make strong progress through the curriculum. Pupils learn the curriculum exceptionally well. They have a deep understanding of the subjects that they are studying. They retrieve knowledge with ease and fluency and

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

demonstrate confident recall of subject-specific vocabulary. For example, in geography, pupils develop a clear sense of the difference between weather and climate. They apply this knowledge well when studying the causes and impact of climate change. Pupils attend school regularly. They behave extremely well and look forward to what each day of learning brings. In rare instances when absences become a concern, the school puts in place effective support for the pupil and family. As a result, attendance rates remain consistently high. Pupils have plenty of high-quality opportunities for personal development beyond the academic curriculum. They elect their representatives to the school council and eco- council. This allows them to obtain a first-hand appreciation of how democracy works. They also learn about the world of work during a careers’ day, where parents from different professions come in to talk to them. Pupils have a wide range of after-school

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

clubs to choose from to develop their talents and interests. Take-up of these is high. 11 and 12 February 2025

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The school helps its pupils to understand and engage with the world beyond their school. For example, they learn about sustainability through working with the local recycling centre. Pupils also actively contribute to improving the local area. For example, pupils recently took part in a design competition aimed at renewing a local bridge. Leaders, trustees, and governors share an unwavering vision for every pupil to thrive. They are committed to doing ‘whatever it takes’ to secure excellent outcomes for pupils. Leaders work well together to take effective action to improve the school’s performance. They place the interests of the pupils in this school at the heart of every decision they make. Staff benefit from high-quality training and support from the many experts across the trust. Staff appreciate that school processes have been designed intentionally to support their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 October 2019. 11 and 12 February 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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 30 and 31 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Quality First Education Trust.  The school uses one alternative provision.  The school shares its premises with an annex for primary-aged children of the Lycée Charles de Gaulle, called Ecole de Wix. Pupils are taught in one of two streams. One stream is taught entirely in English. The other, the bilingual stream, is taught in English for one week by staff of Belleville Wix Academy and in French the following week by staff from Ecole de Wix.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 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 held discussions with the chief executive officer, the headteacher, and other members of the senior leadership team.  The inspector also met with trustees and governors, 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 met with groups of staff and considered the opinions expressed through

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the staff survey.  The inspector took account of the views expressed by parents through Ofsted Parent View

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Inspection team

Edison David, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 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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