Herons' Moor Academy

Inspection of Herons’ Moor Academy Highlands Lane, Locking Castle, Weston-super-Mare Somerset BS24 7DX

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The principal of this school is Georgina Tinker. This school is part of Cabot Learning Federation, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Steve Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Professor Yvonne Beach. 7 and 8 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a nurturing and caring environment. It is a happy community where pupils and staff feel a strong sense of belonging. Pupils are kind and show respect towards staff and to each other. The school’s shared campus with a special school supports pupils to understand and celebrate difference.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff build strong relationships with pupils. They make sure pupils get support with their work. Staff help pupils to share their feelings and manage their emotions. This helps pupils feel safe and settle well to their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all its pupils. Staff share the trust’s vision of working together to support pupils to achieve lifelong success. The school knows its pupils well. It makes sure they get the help they need to be successful. Pupils are enthusiastic to share their knowledge. They work hard and are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and conduct. This starts in Nursery, where children listen carefully and follow routines. Pupils know the school rules. They follow expectations in and outside of classrooms. They move around the school in a calm and orderly manner.

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

School leaders, supported by the trust, have designed a clear and logical curriculum. It details the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils will build as they move through the school. Developing pupils’ ability to communicate is at the heart of this curriculum. Pupils build their language and vocabulary well. From the Nursery Year, children use subject-specific language when talking about their work.

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

The school has an accurate understanding of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff identify these needs and give effective support. They provide pupils with adult support and adapted resources. This helps pupils with SEND access the curriculum and make progress towards meeting their individual targets.

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

The school has an effective reading curriculum. From the Nursery Year, children develop their language when describing everyday objects. This prepares them well for the Reception Year, where they continue to build their knowledge of letters and sounds to blend words. Staff are expert in supporting pupils to read. For pupils who are at risk of falling behind, they get extra help, and they build their reading fluency and confidence.

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

In most subjects, teachers check that pupils secure their understanding. In these subjects, pupils talk with confidence about what they know. However, on some occasions, in some subjects, teachers do not use these checks to correct the errors that pupils make. Sometimes, teachers do not support pupils to move on when they have secured their knowledge. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. For some pupils who are secure in their knowledge, teachers do not provide them with work that allows them to apply or deepen their understanding. 7 and 8 May 2025

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Pupils are proud to share their work across the curriculum. However, expectations for the teaching of handwriting and the presentation of work are not high enough, and inconsistencies in teaching mean that the quality of pupils’ presentation is often variable.

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Behaviour around the school is positive. Breaktimes are calm and purposeful. Pupils are considerate and play well together. The school supports pupils to take on responsibilities. For example, older pupils lead lunchtime activities and help to make social times enjoyable for everyone.

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Pupils have a wide range of leadership roles. They plan and lead discussions with pupils across the school about current issues. This helps pupils to reflect on the lives of others. Pupils are active in the community. The eco council has worked with the local council to develop an area of land for planting. The choir sings in the local supermarket and to residents in a local care home. This helps pupils to develop their understanding of active citizenship.

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The school provides an extensive range of opportunities beyond the curriculum. These support pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils visit county cricket games. They attend a wide range of clubs, including ‘kickers and dribblers’ cheerleading, football, chess and art clubs. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, including when using the road as pedestrians or cyclists.

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Staff feel well supported by the school. They value the bespoke professional development they receive to develop their expertise. The trust and the school work as one, with the trust providing highly effective support. Both the trust and the academy council hold the school to account for the quality of education pupils receive.

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Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They value the support they and their children receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school’s assessment processes are not as effective as they could be in identifying what pupils know and in informing future teaching and learning. This means that, at times, gaps in pupils’ knowledge go unaddressed. Additionally, some pupils do not deepen their knowledge as well as they could in these subjects. The trust should ensure that staff use assessment processes that enable pupils to secure and deepen their knowledge.  The school’s approach to teaching handwriting and presentation is not consistently effective. Consequently, some pupils’ handwriting is underdeveloped and the quality of 7 and 8 May 2025

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pupils’ presentation is often variable. The trust should ensure that the teaching of handwriting and presentation is delivered consistently well across the curriculum and that all teachers have high expectations.

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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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 March 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The principal joined the school in September 2024.  The school is part of Cabot Learning Federation.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The school provides a breakfast and after-school club.  Herons’ Moor Academy converted to become an academy in September 2012. When its predecessor school, Herons’ Moor Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.

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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 7 and 8 May 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.  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 their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the principal, senior leaders, subject leaders, and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors met with the CEO, a trustee and the chair of the academy council.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to pupils and looked at samples of work in writing, science and

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history.  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 extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  An inspector spoke to some parents at the end of the school day.  Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text comments, and Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Caroline Musty, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Marcus West Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 May 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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