Filey Academy

Inspection of Filey School Muston Road, Filey YO14 0HG

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Michelle Britton. This school is part of the Coast and Vale Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Paul Tarn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Riby. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has undergone significant change in recent years. Pupils now achieve better outcomes in several subjects. Pupils understand how to conduct themselves around school. Despite this fact, some pupils struggle to meet the school’s high expectations in lessons. The school has reduced rates of persistent absence considerably. However, a proportion of pupils are still absent too often; this is especially the case for some vulnerable pupil groups.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious that all pupils will succeed. Leaders have established clear expectations about how the curriculum should be implemented. However, these expectations are not consistently realised. Some lessons are not carefully adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. This can lead to pupils becoming disengaged or not understanding the curriculum. These pupils have gaps in their knowledge and skills which impact on how well prepared they are for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Incidents of bullying and discriminatory language have reduced significantly over time. Pupils know that it is important to be tolerant of others. Pupils contribute constructively to their school community through charity work and leadership opportunities. Pupils benefit from independent careers advice and guidance as well as input from local businesses. Visits to further education settings inspire pupils for their futures.

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

The school has faced many competing improvement priorities over time. Improving the curriculum, teaching pedagogy, pupils’ attitudes to education and attendance have been a challenge. The school has recently accelerated the pace of improvement, and this has had a positive impact on pupils’ educational experience. Leaders acknowledge there is more to do to ensure that these improvements are embedded.

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

Changes to the curriculum have been thoughtfully made. The most important knowledge and skills that pupils will learn are set out clearly. When adjustments are made to the curriculum, such as for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), this does not lower ambitions for them.

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

Staff make regular checks on pupils’ understanding. They identify when pupils have made mistakes and help pupils address these. However, at times, teaching moves on to new learning before pupils have understood fully what they have been taught. This has an impact on how well some pupils learn the intended curriculum.

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

Support for struggling readers at the school is improving. However, some older pupils who need help with their reading and literacy still have gaps in their understanding. The school has addressed this swiftly. Staff with specialist training now lead extra reading sessions. This is beginning to have a positive impact on how well pupils of all ages can read.

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

The support SEND pupils receive at the school is carefully considered. Some pupils with SEND who previously struggled to access education are now fully involved in school life. 18 and 19 March 2025

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The school ensures that staff receive the relevant training to support pupils with SEND in the classroom. This is having a positive impact on how well pupils with SEND achieve.

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Some pupils are positive about recent improvements to their school. Others still do not have confidence in staff to address issues such as bullying and classroom disruption. The school’s approach to managing poor behaviour is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ educational experience. Pupils who met with inspectors were polite, mature and reflective. They embodied the school’s values.

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The curriculum for personal, social and health education helps pupils understand how to be respectful, safe and active citizens. Assembly topics cover important cultural celebrations and current affairs. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to debate and discuss challenging topics. However, pupils’ understanding of other faiths, cultures and British values are underdeveloped. This is because the curriculum for personal development is not as well implemented as it should be.

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Those responsible for governance understand ongoing school improvement priorities well. However, plans to enact some of these improvements are at an early stage. The school manages staff well-being and workload effectively. Those involved with the school at all levels are highly committed to making the school the best it can be for pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not consistently well implemented. Sometimes, teaching does not use appropriate activities to support learning. At other times, teaching does not check that pupils have understood new knowledge and skills before moving on in lessons. This hinders how well pupils understand and remember the intended curriculum. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well across all subjects.  Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. Rates of persistent absence, while improving, are still too high. The school’s actions to improve pupils’ attendance are not focused sharply enough on overcoming the specific barriers pupils face. Some pupils do not attend regularly enough and miss valuable learning as a result. The school should refine its strategies to reduce pupils’ persistent absence further.  The school’s behaviour management systems are not as effective as they might be.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Incidents of poor behaviour persist. Some pupils are still suspended from school too often. This is disrupting lessons and learning is being lost. The school should refine its approach to behaviour management to ensure that patterns of poor behaviour reduce. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 Some aspects of the school’s personal development programme are not taught as effectively as they should be. Pupils lack in-depth knowledge of other faiths, cultures and British law and government. The school should ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to implement a high-quality personal development programme.  Important school improvement priorities are now being addressed. More recent changes are only just beginning to take effect. Some pupils have not benefited from the high-quality educational experience the school intends. The school should continue to provide the capacity and expertise to act on the most pressing priorities at pace.

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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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school opened as a new school in 2022, when it joined the Coast and Vale Learning Trust. When its predecessor school, EBOR Academy Filey, was last inspected, it was judged to be Inadequate for overall effectiveness.  At the time of the inspection, an acting headteacher was leading the school.  The school uses two providers of alternative education. Both are registered with the Department for Education.  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.

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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 (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth-form 18 and 19 March 2025

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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 met with the acting headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector also spoke with members of the trust board, local academy council and the chief executive officer.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, mathematics, geography and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils and teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in other subjects, including modern foreign languages and design technology.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for careers education at the school.

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 Inspectors met with early career teachers and those who mentor them.  Inspectors met with the leaders responsible for reading and literacy across the school.  Inspectors examined the school’s behaviour records and spoke with providers of alternative education. One inspector met with pupils who had been suspended to understand more about the support they have received.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator. They looked at a range of documentation, including education, health and care plans and individual learning plans. Inspectors also checked how pupils with SEND are supported in lessons.  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.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, at breaktimes, at lunchtimes and in lessons. They also spoke to pupils about behaviour, bullying and what it is like to attend the school.  Inspectors considered the responses from parents and carers to the online parent survey, Ofsted Parent View. This included the comments submitted via the free-text facility. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

John Linkins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Bernard Clark Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 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 looked-after, safeguarding and child protection.

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