Welland Park Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Welland Park Academy Welland Park Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9DR

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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Outcome

Welland Park 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 Peter Leatherland. This school is the only school in the Welland Park Community College single-academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Claire Parry.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are part of a happy and caring community. The core values of ‘Persevere, Achieve and Respect…with Kindness’ can be seen across the school. Staff know the pupils well, and relationships are strong. Pupils are confident in the school’s systems and the people who keep them safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff make sure the pupils behave well. Learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils look out for each other, and bullying is extremely rare. The school has set high standards in class. Pupils are expected to work hard and commit to their learning. Pupils are eager to rise to teachers’ high expectations. Consequently, they achieve well. This is a school where pupils are proud to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a raft of ambitious experiences to help pupils nurture new and existing interests. Staff offer an impressive range of extra-curricular activities, including clubs and trips, for example trips to Iceland, the battlefields of the First World War and Parliament. Pupils participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and school productions, most recently ‘The Little Mermaid’. These experiences enhance pupils’ cultural knowledge and develop strong leadership skills. The school council and the student leadership team are forums through which pupils can express their views and have a positive impact on school life.

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

The school has sustained the standards identified at the previous inspection and, in some 11 and 12 February 2025

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cases, improved provision. For example, it has strengthened the curriculum. This is now broad and ambitious for all pupils. Pupils achieve strong outcomes.

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Each subject has a precisely sequenced curriculum to enable pupils to build their knowledge and skills over time. Typically, the curriculum is delivered very well. Staff use their expert subject knowledge to explain new learning and model thinking processes with great clarity. Most of the school’s chosen teaching strategies are used effectively. Occasionally, teachers move the class on without checking all pupils’ understanding. In these instances, new learning for some pupils is not secure, and a small number of pupils develop gaps in their understanding.

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The school’s work to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has improved. Teachers make helpful adaptations to learning for these pupils using the precise information provided to them on ‘pupil profiles’. They apply this guidance appropriately. The learning support centre provides specialist support for some pupils with more complex needs. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well, both academically and socially.

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The school has ensured that all pupils have more opportunities to develop their reading skills than previously. Any pupils who find reading more challenging benefit from prompt, personalised support to help them become fluent readers.

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The school has successfully introduced a revised behaviour management system. Staff and pupils understand the expectations and use the system consistently. As a result of the positive actions taken by the school and effective pastoral provision, pupils who struggle to regulate get the support they need to improve their behaviour.

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Pupils benefit from the well-constructed personal development programme. The school responds quickly to any societal issues that arise and addresses these themes in assemblies and citizenship lessons, covering themes such as healthy relationships, the responsible use of social media and online safety. Pupils speak confidently about how to keep safe and look after their well-being. Citizenship sessions make a distinct contribution towards pupils’ readiness for life in modern Britain. The school has developed a very strong careers programme that includes work experience. As a result, pupils go on to a range of meaningful destinations.

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The school takes great care of staff well-being. Staff know their workload and well-being are considered when changes are made. Staff benefit from a range of professional development opportunities. Trustees know the school very well. The level of challenge they pose to the school has increased over time. They hold the school to account effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 11 and 12 February 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, teachers do not check precisely that pupils have learned exactly what was intended before moving them on. This means that a small number of pupils have gaps in their knowledge, which hinders them from accessing what comes next. The school must ensure teachers consistently identify and address gaps in pupils’ understanding.

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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 July 2019.

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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 11 and 12 February 2025

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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 2 and 3 July 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is the only school in the Welland Park Community College single-academy trust.  The current principal took up office in September 2023.  The school makes use of three registered and one unregistered alternative provisions.  The school meets 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.

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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 the evaluation of the school.  As part of this inspection, the inspectors met with senior leaders and subject leaders in the school. The lead inspector also met with four representatives of the board of 11 and 12 February 2025

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trustees, including the chair of the trust.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors discussed with leaders and pupils the school’s extra-curricular activities, enrichment and their careers and personal development provision.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s behaviour and attendance records with school leaders. Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator. They looked at a range of documents, including pupil passports. Inspectors also checked how pupils with SEND are supported in lessons.  The inspectors met with members of staff during the inspection. They took account of responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and pupils. They also took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View and the free-text comments.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considers the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Sue Vasey, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Javier Sanchez-Garcia 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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