Jubilee Park Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Jubilee Park Academy Highfield Road, Tipton, West Midlands DY4 0QS

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Outcome

Jubilee Park 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 Tanya Price. This school is part of Rivers 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), Matt Meckin, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Andrew Jobbins.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, safe and proud of their school, Jubilee Park Academy. Listening, caring staff warmly greet pupils each day. They are on hand to listen to and resolve any concerns pupils or parents and carers may raise. Despite the school’s efforts, some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. These pupils miss out on valuable learning and the wider social aspects of school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s high expectations for behaviour and achievement are reflected in pupils’ positive conduct. Pupils are polite, respectful and well mannered. Staff consistently apply the school rules based on the ‘STARS’ values of sharing, trust, achievement, respect and safety. Classrooms are calm, positive learning environments where pupils achieve well in most subjects. Termly headteacher awards, pupil of the week and class heroes motivate pupils to do their best. Behaviour incidents are rare and swiftly resolved following the school’s restorative approach. Any pupil who needs help to learn or behave gets highly effective support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy art, cooking, dance, textiles and science clubs where they can develop new skills and interests. School councillors, eco-warriors and equipment monitors diligently undertake their responsibilities. Older pupils take part in residentials, which provide opportunities to develop teamwork, leadership and social skills. 29 and 30 April 2025

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

The school’s ambitious curriculum is carefully designed and sequenced. The knowledge and skills pupils need for future success are meticulously organised. This starts in the early years. Teachers are highly skilled. They know what to teach and how. Regular checks on pupils’ learning mean that gaps in knowledge, misconceptions or errors are swiftly remedied. Pupils recall their learning well, for example when discussing the water cycle or sharing their knowledge of electric circuits. Pupils particularly enjoy mathematics. Visits and visitors help bring learning to life for pupils. Trips to museums and art galleries, as well as experiences such as an Anglo-Saxon workshop, help pupils to learn and remember more.

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

Language, communication and early reading are prioritised. Staff are skilled in the school’s approach to teaching phonics. Books match the sounds pupils learn. Pupils who need support are swiftly identified. However, at times, the help for pupils who have fallen behind in their early reading is not as precise as the school intends. In some lessons, pupils who have fallen behind do not get the sharp focus they need. This means they do not catch up in their early reading as swiftly as they could.

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

Rigorous work, right from the start in the early years, ensures any pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are swiftly identified and their needs are met. The school is supported by the trust and wider external agencies. Pupils with SEND receive effective support to be successful in school from highly skilled staff. They achieve well.

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

Some pupils have low rates of school attendance. This includes some disadvantaged pupils who are persistently absent. The school recognises that more work could be carried out with parents as soon as pupil attendance rates start to decline.

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

The school’s enrichment offer is underpinned by the school motto ‘reaching and believing’. It is well thought through so that all pupils consistently benefit. Pupils learn to be active citizens by fundraising for local and national charities. Voting for pupil roles and the work of the school council enables pupils to understand democracy. The school’s ‘STARS’ values help pupils to understand right and wrong. Visits to places of worship help pupils to learn about tolerance and respect for others.

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

Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of how to keep themselves physically healthy and recognise risks to their well-being. They know the qualities of a good friend. Pupils learn how to keep safe, including when working or playing online, as well as road and water safety. Trusted adults, pupil mental health ambassadors and peer mediators are on hand to support any pupil who needs it. Pupils are well prepared for life beyond school.

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

Leaders, including trust leaders, are highly ambitious for the school. They know the school and its community well. Decision-making is well informed and in the best interests of pupils. The trust provides high levels of challenge and support to the school. It holds school leaders to account effectively for the performance of the school. 29 and 30 April 2025

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Staff say the school is a ‘big supportive family’. They appreciate the support from listening leaders. This helps them to manage their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should, including some disadvantaged pupils. This means they miss out on important learning and wider aspects of school life. The school should engage with parents at an earlier stage to remove any barriers to some pupils’ attendance as swiftly as possible.  At times, some pupils who have fallen behind in reading do not get the sharp focus they need to catch up. This means they do not catch up in their early reading as swiftly as they could. The school should ensure all staff provide the precise focus and support for pupils who need support with early reading, so they catch up quickly and read with the confidence and accuracy expected for their age.

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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. 29 and 30 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). 29 and 30 April 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provision.  The school has provision for two-year-olds. However, there are currently no two-year- olds attending the school.  The school operates a breakfast club for its pupils.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 29 and 30 April 2025

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 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 observed pupils at informal times of the day as part of the evaluation of safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. She met with the CEO and trust representatives. The inspector also talked to pupils, staff and parents to gather information about school life.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 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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