E-ACT St Ursula's Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: E-Act St Ursula's Academy Brecon Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 4DT

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Outcome

E-Act St Ursula's 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 Nicky Arthur. This school is part of E-ACT 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), Tom Campbell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Lord Jim Knight.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their welcoming school. They behave well and are polite and courteous to visitors. Pupils show care and consideration for each other. They are happy, safe and enjoy coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful. The ethos of the school is rooted in the values of ‘achieve, believe and create’. Pupils respond positively to these. They are keen to learn and most achieve well. Pupils know that it is important to do their best. They meet the high expectations staff have for them. Pupils are adamant that there is no bullying at their school and know that staff will help them if they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prepares pupils to become responsible, respectful and active citizens through its ‘3Cs’ approach which focuses on citizenship, community, and careers. For example, pupils learn about future occupations through visits from members of the local community, including those working in the medical profession. Opportunities such as these develop pupils’ aspirations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils experience a variety of educational visits. These develop their wider personal qualities. Pupils challenge themselves and manage risk during outdoor adventure activities. These experiences give them a feeling of pride in their achievements. 20 and 21 May 2025

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

The school has maintained a relentless focus on improvement. Pupils learn an ambitious curriculum. The curriculum is well structured. It begins with small components of knowledge which build progressively over time from early years to Year 6. In many subjects, the way that the curriculum is taught helps pupils to know and remember more. For example, in mathematics, pupils use what they have learned about angles and measurement to solve more complex problems in geometry. However, teaching expertise is unevenly developed across the school. Not all staff have the expertise required to deliver the curriculum as intended. This means some pupils do not progress through the curriculum as well as they should.

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

The school has placed a sharp focus on reading. As soon as they start school, children are immersed in a variety of rich texts, including well-known stories and traditional tales. Staff encourage children to use the correct vocabulary to express themselves. This enhances their ability to speak clearly and to build a rich vocabulary. Children benefit from a wide range of learning opportunities, inside and outside of the classroom. These are designed to engage their interest in learning. Over time, children in the early years become increasingly confident and develop effective learning behaviour.

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

Children learn to read as soon as they start school. They quickly learn the knowledge they need to be able to blend sounds together to read simple words. There is precise support in place for pupils who fall behind. This allows them to catch up rapidly with their peers. Pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers. As pupils get older, they read books from a diverse range of authors and genres. They develop a love of reading and enjoy a range of fiction and non-fiction books.

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

Staff swiftly identify and meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils have individual plans to match their specific needs. The school works with external agencies to provide well-planned support for pupils. Consequently, pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum. They participate fully in school life.

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

Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. Lesson time is calm and purposeful. Pupils learn without disruption. The school maintains a relentless focus on attendance. Staff work closely with families to ensure that there are clear expectations for attendance. Consequently, pupils attend well.

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

The school has comprehensively threaded personal development throughout the curriculum. It has mapped the experiences and learning pupils will encounter in their seven years at the school. Pupils are interested to learn about other cultures and faiths and value visits they make to a variety of places of worship.

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

The school develops pupils’ confidence and resilience. For example, they experience safe risk taking on residential visits to outdoor learning centres. Pupils have a thorough knowledge of fundamental British values. They make thoughtful links between individual liberty and the importance of treating others with respect and tolerance. Pupils develop 20 and 21 May 2025

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an age-appropriate knowledge of the potential dangers of the online world and learn how to use technology safely.

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The trust is resolute in their ambition for every pupil to have the best start to their school life. They take decisions that are rooted in the school’s values and keep effective oversight of the school’s strategic direction. The trust’s actions, along with those of the school are continuing to improve performance over time. Staff appreciate that leaders are mindful of the impact on staff workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that all staff have the expertise required to deliver some curriculum subjects as intended. This means some pupils do not make the progress through the curriculum as well as they should. The school and trust should ensure that all staff have the subject and pedagogical expertise they need to deliver the curriculum effectively.

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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 February 2020. 20 and 21 May 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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Website www.stursulasacademy.e-act.org.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act

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Information about this school

 The school is part of E-ACT multi-academy trust.  The school operates a breakfast and after-school club on the site.  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 COVID19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  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 20 and 21 May 2025

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders and subject leaders. They also held meetings with the ambassador team, the director of education, the national director of primary and special education, the CEO and the chair of the trust.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector considered responses to the online survey Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments, the pupil survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Liz Geller, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 20 and 21 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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