The Bourne Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: The Bourne Academy Hadow Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH10 5HS

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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Outcome

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

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Mark Avoth. This school is a standalone academy sponsored by the independent school, Canford School which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Mark Avoth, and overseen by a governing body, chaired by Heidi Leavesley.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and sixth-form students value highly the quality of education and the pastoral support they receive at The Bourne Academy. In particular, pupils are effusive about the quality and provision for the visual and performing arts at the school. For example, every pupil in key stage 3 learns to play an instrument and read music. Pupils relish the opportunities to play in the school orchestra and perform in the many plays that the school produces. Pupils were observed performing the play version of ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ with artistic skill and enormous enthusiasm.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils to succeed academically as well as socially and emotionally. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are strong. In lessons and around the school, pupils behave well. They demonstrate kindness and empathy towards each other. The relationships between staff and pupils are nurturing and supportive. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive individualised support to enable them to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop strong knowledge about the world beyond school. Through the curriculum, they learn about the importance of democracy and individual liberty. Through the student council, pupils are enabled to voice their views. 11 and 12 February 2025

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

The school is led well. Staff share leaders’ vision and work hard to continually develop the quality of education. Although pupils’ achievements at the end of key stage 4 in 2024 were not strong, the school has been forensic in its work to address this. The curriculum is well designed, ensuring that pupils build on their prior knowledge well so that they can learn more complex concepts. Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. Most staff routinely check what pupils know and do not know so that they can address misconceptions. Pupils with SEND are supported very well. However, in a small minority of subjects, teachers do not always identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge with precision. Consequently, they do not adapt the teaching of the curriculum to ensure that pupils have secure understanding of the subjects they are studying.

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

The school has worked hard to establish an effective programme of literacy support for pupils who struggle with reading and writing. Through routine checks on pupils’ reading and writing knowledge, the school provides bespoke support. This enables pupils to access the curriculum with confidence and growing success. The school prioritises reading across the curriculum. Pupils are positive about the reading for enjoyment programme that has been implemented across all year groups.

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

Students in the sixth form value the quality of provision. They are positive about the expertise of their teachers and the personalised support they receive. As a result, students achieve well. Students receive strong guidance about university options, apprenticeships and work. Through strong links with local employers, sixth-form students are well supported to make decisions about their next steps. The guidance about careers and further education is very detailed, ensuring that sixth-form students and pupils have a breadth of information.

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

The school offers a breadth of enrichment opportunities ranging from theatre trips to sports clubs. The links with Canford School offer further opportunities for pupils to enhance their cultural and sporting knowledge. The personal development provision is well developed. The focus on developing pupils as responsible, caring citizens of modern Britain is strong.

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

Pupils attend school well. Through the well-developed pastoral support, pupils who struggle with managing their emotional responses to the world receive bespoke help. Pupils are positive about the effectiveness of the pastoral support at the school. The school recognises the transformative role that education plays in many pupils’ lives. It works ceaselessly to source bespoke support for pupils to help them regulate their behaviour. For example, the school continually teaches about the dangers of vaping to pupils’ health and the importance of learning for pupils’ future life choices. Consequently, the number of permanent exclusions has fallen significantly and the number of suspensions continues to fall.

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

Governance is strong. Governors are knowledgeable about the school and pose suitable challenge. Staff are almost unanimously proud to work at the school and feel well 11 and 12 February 2025

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supported regarding their workload and well-being. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the quality of education and the pastoral support at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a minority of subjects, staff do not consistently check what pupils know and do not know. As a result, staff do not adapt the teaching of the curriculum suitably well to address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Consequently, some pupils do not learn as well as they should. The school should ensure that staff routinely check pupils’ knowledge and adapt their teaching to ensure pupils achieve well in all subjects.

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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 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 November 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

Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 November 2019

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Information about this school

 The Bourne Academy is a sponsored academy. The sponsor is Canford School, a local independent school.  The school uses two registered alternative providers and seven unregistered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 11 and 12 February 2025

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with the principal and members of the leadership team.  An inspector held discussions with members of the board of trustees, including the chair of the board of trustees and the CEO.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors met with staff to consider their views.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the

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Information about this inspection

extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers who responded to the confidential questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. They evaluated the views of staff from the Ofsted online questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Jon Jones 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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