Frome Vale Academy

Frome Vale Academy

Address: Frenchay Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 2QS Unique reference number (URN): 138791

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils achieve well and make strong progress. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face other barriers to learning, make clear progress from their starting points. Pupils who join the school at different times throughout the year settle quickly, thrive, and progress well.

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Achievement Strong standard

Outcomes over time show the positive impact of leaders’ work. By the end of Year 6, many pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve higher than their peers nationally. Outcomes are similarly positive in the Year 1 phonics screening check and Year 4 multiplication check.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils' work in books is of a high quality and reflects the expectations of the school. Pupils take pride in their learning. They develop detailed knowledge across a broad range of subjects. Pupils' speaking and listening are consistently prioritised and the impact of this is clear through their confident interactions around the school and in lessons.

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Achievement Strong standard

Leaders ensure pupils acquire the knowledge and skills needed across the curriculum while also developing the whole child. Pupils build independence, resilience and a strong sense of belonging. As a result, pupils transition well between year groups and older pupils become well prepared for success at secondary school.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils attend school well. Leaders set clear expectations for high attendance and treat it as a top priority. They check attendance data regularly and work closely with families to remove barriers. Leaders take a personalised, whole family approach to supporting pupils' attendance. Their work is making a difference, especially for pupils who find regular attendance harder. Consistent messages, strong relationships and robust systems help families understand why regular attendance matters and ensure pupils feel supported to attend.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Behaviour is managed in a consistent way. Leaders use their strong knowledge of pupils, best practice research and the views of the pupils to keep improving their approach. Clear systems help pupils understand what is expected. Pupils respond positively. Relationships are at the heart of the school’s behaviour culture, and this relational approach helps particularly vulnerable pupils to improve their behaviour.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils feel safe in school. They know they can go to staff for help and support when needed. Bullying is not tolerated and staff deal with any concerns appropriately. Classrooms and shared spaces are calm, purposeful and focused on learning. When pupils find expectations more challenging, leaders act quickly to make suitable adaptations. This ensures individual needs are met while keeping the environment safe and learning focused for everyone.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Pupils access a well-designed curriculum that is carefully sequenced and helps them build secure knowledge and skills across all subjects. Each subject is taught using clear and consistent approaches, including writing, mathematics and reading. Staff teach reading through a structured phonics programme that builds pupils’ fluency and accuracy from the start of their time at school.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers plan and deliver lessons skilfully using research-informed methods. Leaders review these regularly to keep teaching effective. They make sure staff have the skills to deliver the curriculum well. Because of this, all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can access the curriculum confidently and make steady progress. The core skills of speaking, listening, spelling and handwriting run through all subject areas. Pupils’ books show consistent attention to these skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The wider curriculum is a real strength. Pupils develop subject-specific skills and knowledge, and see themselves as historians, artists and geographers. They talk confidently about what they have learned and make meaningful links across topics, for example comparing life in the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. Leaders ensure pupils have experiences linked to their learning, such as visiting Stonehenge, to deepen their understanding even further.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The leaders at Frome Vale Academy have a clearly defined vision for the school and make decisions focused on what is best for the pupils. They lead by example and create a positive, supportive learning culture where staff work together, learn from one another and seek to continually improve their practice. Staff training is prioritised. The school provides regular opportunities for professional learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Teachers and leaders make changes thoughtfully and for clear reasons. They use up-to- date research to guide teaching across the school, focusing on effective feedback, strong classroom routines and approaches that help children learn successfully. As a result, classrooms are calm, focused environments where pupils achieve highly and take pride in their work.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The school’s priorities accurately reflect the needs of its community. Leaders respond quickly when circumstances change and provide strong support for pupils with the highest levels of need. For pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, leaders continue to refine how they monitor support to ensure it has the greatest possible impact.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors know the school well and ask important questions to help it keep improving. The trust provides many opportunities for staff to work with colleagues across other schools, which has a positive impact on the quality of teaching.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff, parents and carers, and pupils are positive about the school. Pupils show resilience, confidence and a strong sense of themselves as learners. Parents appreciate the school’s warm, welcoming atmosphere and the positive impact it has on their children's learning and development.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school provides a rich, well-designed personal development programme that incorporates personal, social, health and economic education. Leaders map this programme carefully to ensure it builds pupils' understanding over time. Leaders ensure these elements are not only taught in lessons but are carefully woven into daily routines and extracurricular opportunities. As a result, pupils build secure understanding of key ideas such as the fundamental British values, how to stay safe online and offline, and what factors are important in a healthy relationship.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

This approach reflects the school’s ambition to prioritise pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Leaders ensure that all pupils develop a strong sense of belonging within the school community. Pupils grow as responsible, respectful and confident young citizens who understand rights and responsibilities, community involvement and ethical decision-making. This work is woven into school routines and classroom culture.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Developing pupils' leadership skills is a strength of the school's work. Pupils enjoy taking part in roles such as wellbeing leaders and eco ‑ warriors. These roles help pupils build confidence and resilience and to act on initiative. Pupils also develop their economic understanding through carefully designed opportunities such as the penguin pound initiative, where pupils get to experience earning and spending.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

A wide range of clubs such as Japanese conversation, chess, taekwondo, cooking and gardening, broadens pupils’ experiences. Leaders check participation carefully to make sure all pupils, including the most vulnerable, benefit from these.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Curriculum-linked trips and experiences, such as visits to SS Great Britain and Chew Valley Farm and local river studies, deepen learning and extend pupils’ understanding of the wider world.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years classroom is a vibrant, well ‑ organised environment with a large, inviting outdoor area. Established routines help children settle quickly. Staff build warm and supportive relationships with parents and carers.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for the early years. They know their children well before they start school, through close liaison with local nurseries and effective parental involvement during transition. This early understanding enables leaders and staff to identify gaps in children's knowledge and skills promptly and plan targeted support.

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Early years Expected standard

Children secure early number skills well. They benefit from an embedded, systematic approach to the teaching of early reading that develops their phonics knowledge, accurate letter formation and vocabulary. Leaders are knowledgeable about the progress that each child is making and what gaps they may have in their knowledge and skills. They plan opportunities well to address these gaps. Teaching is effective and focuses deliberately on developing children’s skills across all 7 areas of learning. As a result, children make strong progress across the year and are well prepared for Year 1.

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Early years Expected standard

Children access a wide range of engaging learning opportunities. They enjoy activities such as creating jungle habitats for animals and making smoothies in the mud kitchen. Staff interactions are nurturing, but they are not consistently focused on developing children’s language and vocabulary. Leaders recognise this as an ongoing priority.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Frome Vale Academy is an inclusive school where every child is expected to achieve their best. Staff believe in all pupils and make sure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or other challenges get the right support. Many pupils who have struggled in previous schools settle quickly and begin to thrive.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with SEND and those facing other barriers receive help through the school’s graduated approach. Teachers use high-quality teaching and make thoughtful adaptions so that pupils with SEND can access the learning alongside their friends. Pupils learn how to be independent and understand which strategies help them stay focused. Leaders design targeted interventions and deploy staff carefully so that pupils with more complex needs get the support they require. Because of this, pupils with barriers to learning make strong progress over time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders keep a close eye on how well pupils with SEND are doing and how effective support is. They know this monitoring could be even more rigorous and are improving their systems to ensure further impact.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders advocate for pupils and families, securing specialist help when needed. Strong relationships with families build trust. This helps pupils succeed. When pupils need alternative provision, leaders use it carefully so pupils stay connected to school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school’s pupil premium strategy to support disadvantaged pupils is effective and has led to strong outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Frome Vale Academy is a calm, purposeful school where learning drives the culture. Leaders believe every child can achieve and never let barriers hold pupils back. They make sure children understand that education can open doors for their future. Staff and pupils share high expectations. Pupils thrive in a safe, predictable environment built on strong relationships and effective teaching.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

A big part of school life is the Frome Vale Citizen approach, which helps pupils feel they belong and teaches them to be responsible, confident individuals. Pupils quickly learn that their voice matters. Leaders listen to pupils and give them real opportunities to shape school life. For example, pupils helped redesign the Rainbow behaviour system. Some pupils also become 'safety ambassadors' and share their ideas with the trust board. Because the school prioritises speaking and leadership skills, many pupils grow into confident, articulate learners.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders support pupils to become independent. Pupils learn how to manage their behaviour and emotions so they can focus on learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The curriculum is carefully planned and based on research, helping pupils build knowledge over time. Attendance and achievement are good for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive thoughtful adaptations that remove barriers and help them progress well.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Staff know pupils extremely well, especially those facing extra challenges. This allows them to provide the right support at the right time. Strong links with the local community give pupils and families even more opportunities and help.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school also works closely with trust partners and Bristol charities to strengthen its pastoral support. This approach ensures that vulnerable families receive timely help and that pupils stay engaged, positive, and ready to learn.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that all staff in the early years plan and enact high ‑ quality interactions that engage children throughout the day. Leaders should embed systems which ensure barriers to learning are consistently addressed for all pupils and across all curriculum areas.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The 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), Sir Steve Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Professor Yvonne Beach.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the senior principal and other senior leaders, the trust education director, members of the academy council and the CEO during the inspection.

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Team inspectors:

Hilary Goddard, Ofsted Inspector Richard Lucas, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 57% 62% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 79% 74% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 47% 47% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 67% 61% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 4.8% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 4.8% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 11.0% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 13.9% 14.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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