Town End Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Town End Academy Borodin Avenue, Town End Farm, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear SR5 4NX

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Outcome

Town End Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Christine Robson. This school is part of WISE Academies multi-academy 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), Zoe Carr, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Margaret Stephenson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending Town End Academy. It is a friendly and happy place in which to learn. A typical pupil comment was, ‘I feel safe.’ This is due to the warm and positive relationships between staff and pupils. Staff know every individual pupil well. Pupils know they can talk to an adult in school if they have any concerns. Pupils are taught to have respect for all. They speak confidently about their understanding of being kind and tolerant. Pupils flourish in the calm and purposeful environment that staff have created.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for positive behaviour. Pupils know what is expected of them. In lessons, they are engaged in their learning and follow staff’s instructions promptly. Pupils behave well and take responsibility for their own conduct. They know that staff have high ambitions for them. Pupils appreciate the extra support they get when they need it. They enjoy their learning. As a result, they achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils grow in confidence because of experiences such as the leadership opportunities that are provided. They take on roles including anti-bullying ambassadors, being members of the school council and reading with younger pupils. There is a range of clubs and activities, for example gardening, book club and various sporting activities. The school ensures that pupils access these extra-curricular opportunities. 8 and 9 April 2025

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

The school is led well. Leaders at all levels have addressed the areas for improvement identified at the school’s previous inspection. For example, changes to the phonics programme are now well embedded.

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

The curriculum is broad and ambitious for pupils. Overall, the curriculum is well designed to build in the specific knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn. In science, pupils enjoy working scientifically, for example to test their knowledge of magnets. In English, staff model reading aloud and pupils take pride in ensuring their own reading is clear and precise. Teachers focus on using important vocabulary and check that pupils understand the meaning of subject-specific words. Pupils like the use of ‘word walls’, which help them to remember what they are learning about.

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

Staff are well trained and deliver the curriculum well. For example, recent training has focused on the effective use of questioning. Staff mostly apply this well, which enables them to check the knowledge that pupils have. However, in some subjects, including mathematics, staff do not use their checking of knowledge as precisely as they could. There are times when the learning for some pupils could be adapted to help them extend their understanding. This hinders some pupils from developing the depth of knowledge they might.

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

The children get off to a positive start in early years. The school is very aware of some of the gaps that their youngest children may have. There is a sharp focus on learning important foundational knowledge. The language that staff use with children helps them to build an early understanding of mathematical and reading skills. Adults interact with children regularly and successfully to develop their learning.

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

The school prioritises reading. Teaching and support staff work closely to model sounds consistently. Pupils who find reading more challenging receive the right support, which helps them to catch up quickly. This helps them to develop their reading fluency. Pupils become increasingly confident in the use of phonics strategies to decode and blend words. As a result, results in national phonics tests have improved over time.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are included well. The school identifies pupils’ needs quickly and provides additional resources as appropriate. In classrooms, staff provide important support to help pupils to access their learning.

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

The school promotes pupils’ attendance successfully. There is much effective bespoke work done with pupils and families that may need it. As a result, pupils attend well. They demonstrate consistently good behaviour and have positive attitudes to learning. They listen attentively and work hard in lessons.

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

Personal, social, health and economic education is well organised. Pupils learn about relationships, cultures and faiths. They are taught how to stay healthy, both mentally and physically. They know a lot about how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils have secure knowledge of British values. Pupils access experiences and opportunities 8 and 9 April 2025

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beyond the academic, such as through the trust’s ‘Childhood Pledge’. As a result, pupils develop their character and resilience and are well prepared well for life in modern Britain.

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Staff feel valued and respected. They enjoy working at the school and with each other. Trustees know the school well and fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively. They work in partnership with school leaders effectively to further develop and strengthen the quality of education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In mathematics, staff do not always use assessment precisely enough to adapt learning for pupils who understand content quickly. As a result, some more able pupils are not consistently challenged to deepen their knowledge. The school should ensure that, in mathematics, assessment information is used effectively to extend learning for pupils who are ready for greater challenge.

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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 January 2020. 8 and 9 April 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). 8 and 9 April 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 January 2020

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Information about this school

 The school is part of WISE Academies, a multi-academy trust with 16 schools.  The school has nursery provision for two-year-old children.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils.  The school uses no alternative provision.

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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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. 8 and 9 April 2025

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 The inspector met with leaders of WISE Academies, members of the local governing board and members of the board of trustees.  The inspector visited a number of lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including behaviour logs, attendance records, school development plans and school self-evaluation documents.  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 of safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered the views of parents and carers through responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector gathered the views of staff through Ofsted’s staff survey, as well as through discussions with staff and pupils conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jessica McKay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 April 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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