Gossey Lane Academy

Inspection of Gossey Lane Academy Gossey Lane, Kitts Green, Birmingham, West Midlands B33 0DS

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Sarah Amin. This school is part of the Washwood Heath 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), Peter Weir, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Graham Parker. 24 and 25 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this school. As a result of the school’s nurturing ethos, pupils model values such as ‘pride’ and ‘acceptance’. When describing life at the school, pupils speak with unreserved praise for its kind and welcoming atmosphere. For example, one pupil commented, ‘Everyone is treated the same and everyone is respected no matter what your background is.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and learning. In the early years, children settle quickly into school routines and develop strong relationships with one another. As a result, pupils’ conduct around school is exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly respectful of staff and each other. Older pupils act as role models to younger pupils around the school. Pupils are encouraged to express their feelings and concerns. Adults help pupils with any worries they have. Consequently, pupils feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of extra-curricular activities. They can develop their interests and talents. A range of clubs on offer include art, dodgeball, cadets and choir. These activities are accessible to pupils. Pupils have good opportunities to develop leadership skills, for example, as playground champions and ‘Gossey Gardeners’. This helps them to develop a strong sense of responsibility and builds their confidence.

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

The school has maintained a continued focus on improvement. It has established an ambitious and broad curriculum. It has defined the knowledge pupils need to learn in each subject and the order this is to be taught. There is a clear progression from the start of the early years. In many subjects, the way that the curriculum is taught helps pupils to know and remember more. In most cases, staff use their strong subject knowledge to teach the curriculum well. However, in some cases, 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 could.

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

Staff typically check pupils’ understanding to address errors or misconceptions. However, in some subjects, repeated errors in pupils’ written work are not consistently picked up or remedied. This means that pupils’ knowledge in these subjects is not as secure as it could be.

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

The school has established an effective reading programme. Learning to read well and widely is a focus of the school. Well-trained staff teach early reading well. Children start learning to read from day one in Reception, where they learn the sounds that they will later use to read words. Staff identify any pupils who struggle and give them the support they need. This helps them to catch up quickly. Books that pupils use to practise their reading are closely matched to the sounds that pupils know. As a result, pupils read with increasing confidence and understanding. 24 and 25 June 2025

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Pupils are enthusiastic to learn and work hard. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive additional support to help them access their learning with confidence. As a result, pupils with SEND feel and are included, valued and able to achieve well.

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Children get off to a strong start in the early years. Staff have high expectations of children’s achievement. Language is modelled well by staff. They weave important vocabulary into conversations with children. Children manage their emotions effectively and play cooperatively with one another. They develop their independence and confidence through a range of classroom leadership roles, such as snack monitor and lunch monitor.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Established behaviour routines are implemented effectively starting from Reception. Pupils are well mannered and respectful. They build positive relationships, and diversity is celebrated. Pupils concentrate in lessons, move calmy around the school and show kindness to others.

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Leaders ensure that attendance is a key focus of the school. The school is relentless in its approach to quickly identify instances where attendance is not as high as the school expects. When any concerns arise around attendance, the school and trust swiftly put in place effective support to secure improvements. Attendance rates are positive.

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The school provides an exceptional range of opportunities to enhance pupils’ personal development. Pupils benefit from a broad and rich set of experiences. They embrace their leadership responsibilities. Pupils have a strongly developed understanding of moral responsibility, for example raising money for charities and taking care of the environment through their recycling efforts. They learn about diversity among people and families. Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values, protected characteristics and equality. They understand how to keep themselves safe online and in the real world. Pupils are very well prepared for their future lives.

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Leaders are committed to the success of every pupil. The trust provides appropriate challenge and support for school leaders. Staff speak extremely positively about the school and how it supports their workload and well-being. They feel valued and listened to. As a result, there is a dedicated staff team with a strong culture of support and teamwork.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not consistently check the accuracy of pupils’ writing across the curriculum. As a result, pupils make repeated mistakes in their written work and errors 24 and 25 June 2025

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in thinking persist. The school should ensure that there is a consistent approach to checking for mistakes in written work and make sure that these are addressed.  There is some inconsistency in how well the curriculum is delivered across the school. This leads to a variation in the quality of work produced and how well pupils learn the knowledge that is taught. The school should ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills they need to ensure that the delivery of the curriculum is of a consistently high quality across the school.

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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). 24 and 25 June 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 April 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school operates breakfast and after-school clubs on site.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust.

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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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 24 and 25 June 2025

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluations of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and design and technology. 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 a sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects. The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Years 1 to 4 reading to staff.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils across the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including the free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the confidential staff survey and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the inspection.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted pupil survey.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the school’s senior leadership team, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss early years, SEND, disadvantaged pupils, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the board of advocates, members of the trust board and the CEO.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to pupils’ wider development, behaviour and attendance. They also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and during breaktime.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

James Dean, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rob Matthews His Majesty’s Inspector 24 and 25 June 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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