Alderwood Academy

Alderwood Academy

Address: Raeburn Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 0EW Unique reference number (URN): 144879

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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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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Attendance is a clear priority here. Leaders have established a vigilant culture in which attendance is everyone's responsibility. Systems for recording, analysing and reviewing attendance are precise. Information from these systems is used intelligently by leaders to identify emerging concerns and barriers to attendance quickly. Regular meetings are held where leaders rapidly identify the help pupils and families need. Swift action is taken. This has resulted in a notable improvement in attendance and engagement of nearly all pupils in the school. Expectations for attendance remain consistently high to ensure pupils benefit from what the school can offer.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Behaviour across the school is calm and purposeful. There is clear mutual respect between staff and pupils. The positive working relationships they have help pupils feel like they belong in the school. Pupils trust staff. Well trained staff consistently apply a therapeutic approach to supporting pupils’ complex needs. As such, learning environments are positive and pupils are ready to learn. Pupils concentrate and engage in learning consistently well. They take pride in their work. Bullying and discrimination are not tolerated. These incidents are extremely rare and are dealt with effectively by leaders.

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Inclusion Strong standard

A culture of inclusion pervades the school. Leaders have put in place highly effective systems to identify pupils’ needs even before they start with the school. They rapidly produce detailed plans which staff follow consistently well to meet pupils’ needs precisely. Checks at the trust's assessment centre, home visits and discussions with all professionals, form a clear picture of what each pupil needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils have a range of vulnerabilities and all are identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities. Some pupils require additional support from external professionals such as social workers or the virtual school. Leaders work extremely collaboratively with all external agencies. They are committed to ensuring that pupils get the right level of support quickly. Pupils’ support is regularly reviewed with parents, carers and other professionals. Leaders make careful changes to ensure the provision is consistently aligned to what pupils need.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff provide expert care to pupils. Staff know pupils well and plan activities which help them to learn effectively. The school's therapeutic approach is integrated throughout all activities and lessons. This has a notably positive impact on pupils’ engagement and attendance. Transitions in and out of the school are highly personalised. Pupils’ next steps are carefully planned to ensure success in their future placements.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders at all levels show a clear moral purpose to secure the best possible outcomes for pupils. This ambition is evident in the consistent and skilful leadership practice seen through the school. Leaders know the school and each pupil very well. They use detailed monitoring

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Expected standard

and accurate analysis to identify what they are doing well, and what needs development. Where areas have been identified, leaders have acted swiftly and decisively to ensure that improvements are timely and effective.

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Expected standard

There is a clear culture of staff collaboration and professional dialogue. Staff value how visible leaders are. They know that they will be supported and cared for, whether with work or personal matters. Staff well-being is prioritised by both school leaders and the trust. Staff feel valued and listened to. They contribute to decision-making. Morale is very high. Staff appreciate the range of professional development opportunities that they have.

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Expected standard

Trustees know the school well and maintain robust oversight of the quality of the provision. This also means having rigorous oversight of their statutory duties, including safeguarding. The board of trustees and the central trust team care deeply about the school. They are committed to giving pupils the best possible chance to succeed after leaving here. They provide rigorous and appropriate challenge and support to leaders, to ensure that this happens.

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Expected standard

Engagement with parents is thoughtful and pro-active. It is personalised to meet the individual needs of each family. The school focus on building trusting and positive relationships with families through consistent communication and responsive support

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well from their various starting points. Pupils often arrive here having missed large sections of education. They are sometimes at risk of permanent exclusion. As the school identifies their needs quickly, pupils progress well in their learning. Across the curriculum, pupils generally build knowledge well over time. They make steady improvements in their writing, including with their spelling and handwriting. In Mathematics, they develop secure understanding of early number and increased confidence. Pupils apply what they know in lessons and in their books. Pupils’ work shows appropriate progress.

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Achievement Expected standard

Achievement is also evident in pupils' personal growth and confidence. Pupils develop skills that enable them to be successful learners. They learn to trust adults working with them. Pupils participate well. They attend and engage in school sessions regularly and show positive attitudes to learning. Pupils are well prepared for what comes next in their education journey.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There is an ambitious and thoughtfully designed curriculum in place. The curriculum is personalised to pupils' individual needs and aligned closely to the national curriculum. In some instances, where relevant, it links to the pupil's home school curriculum offer. Consequently, pupils are being well prepared to return to learning at their home school. Pupils access learning through various pathways. Most of the time, pupils are accessing the high quality curriculum offer provided by Alderwood. For a very small number of pupils on one pathway, the curriculum is not as well matched to their needs. Leaders are addressing this.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school uses checks well to spot important English and mathematics gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school provides well planned learning to close these gaps. When the school spot that a pupil needs help with early reading and phonics, effective support is rapidly put in place. Expert teaching of phonics and decodable resources help pupils learn to read. Teaching is effective across the school. Staff understand the content they teach as well as the needs of pupils. They make effective changes to lessons so that all pupils can learn. Teachers' clear explanations and modelling helps pupils to secure key knowledge.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have designed a personal development programme that is matched to pupils’ needs. It is closely matched to the diverse needs of pupils. The personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) and relationships and sex education (RSE) curriculums are well sequenced. They contain all the required learning for pupils at this age and stage. These programmes prepare pupils well for their next stage. Pupils develop self awareness, self management and vital skills such as relationship building and decision making. There are currently no secondary-aged pupils. However, there is a suitable careers programme woven into the PSHE curriculum.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils also learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes online and community safety, healthy relationships and the concept of consent. Teaching of PSHE reflects pupils’ individual starting points and needs. This includes practical life skills and preparation for adulthood activities. This is a key focus in the school. Pupils learn key routines such as personal hygiene, organisation and keeping themselves physically and mentally healthy. Pastoral support is part of the core offer. It begins with the extremely positive relationships built between staff and pupils. Staff are well trained to respond to a range of issues or concerns that a pupil may need help with. The trust's chaplain provides more targeted pastoral support. Pupils appreciate this support and are clear that it helps them to be part of school life and learn.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The wider curriculum helps pupils to understand difference, fairness and responsibility. Through discussions and PSHE lessons, pupils learn to appreciate the views and beliefs of others. Diversity is explored and celebrated and pupils learn what it means to make a positive contribution to society. Pupils benefit from the school's offer. They are increasingly well prepared for their next stage. During their time here, they become self reflective, self aware and confident.

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

Pupils arrive here with a range of experiences. Many have missed significant periods of education. Some have experienced disrupted placement or developed anxiety about school. Pupils are welcomed warmly and quickly settle here. They begin to feel safe, understood and valued. Pupils benefit from adults who know them extremely well and respond to them with calm consistency, patience and care. As a result, pupils settle quickly and begin to trust school again.

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

Pupils know that there are trusted staff who will help them. At times, pupils find it more challenging to manage their emotions. When this happens, staff expertly support them. This means that pupils miss very little learning time. Pupils learn in an environment where kindness and respect are expected. Bullying is rare. When concerns of bullying arise, staff act swiftly to address any concerns. Pupils are clear that others are kind to them at school.

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

Pupils behave well. They move around the school calmly. They respond positively to routines. Pupils increasingly show how well they can self-regulate when they are feeling upset. They learn how to recognise their feelings and make positive choices. Pupils also learn how to build and maintain positive relationships with others. Classrooms are calm and purposeful places where learning is rarely interrupted.

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

Pupils enjoy learning. They benefit from a curriculum that prepares them well for their next stage of school life. In lessons, their wide ranging needs are well known and understood by staff. The learning they receive is consistently well adapted to meet their needs. As a result, pupils typically achieve well across the curriculum.

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

Pupils improve their attendance and readiness to learn. This is because their barriers to learning are spotted and removed quickly by the school. Pupils leave the school better prepared for what comes next. They have improved self belief and confidence and a more positive view of their futures.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for pupils on each pathway is consistently well matched to their needs so that they develop secure knowledge and are well prepared for their next stage.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Raedwald Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Angela Ransby, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alan Whittaker.

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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 (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other members of the senior leadership team, the CEO and other members of the trust executive team, three trustees and three representatives from the local authority.

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

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Exceptional

The school is an academy alternative provision, providing short term placements for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. These placements are divided into various pathways. This means that while some pupils will learn on site at the school, a number will either learn in their home school or in the community.

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Exceptional

Currently, only one pupil is single registered. All other pupils are dual registered with their home schools.

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Exceptional

When pupils arrive, they are all identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities. Some have an education, health and care plan.

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Exceptional

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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Exceptional

Headteacher: Tom Baker 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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