High Clarence Academy

High Clarence Academy

Address: Port Clarence Road, High Clarence, Middlesbrough, TS2 1SY Unique reference number (URN): 149794

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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 Expected standard

Pupils typically progress well from their starting points, and increasing numbers are achieving age-related expectations. Pupils' progression through the curriculum is evident in their recall of knowledge and the work they produce. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are known to children’s social care. Pupils in key stage 1 generally secure the essential skills in reading, writing and mathematics before they start Year 3.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils' attainment in writing by the end of key stage 2 has not been as closely aligned to their achievement in other curriculum areas, in the past. Many pupils who attend High Clarence Academy face additional barriers to their learning. This, combined with the small number of pupils, means that some historically published data does not reflect the progress that pupils typically make in the school now.

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Achievement Expected standard

The school ensures that pupils develop important personal qualities, such as ambition and resilience. On the whole, by the time pupils leave the school they are confident individuals and are ready for the next stage of their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders prioritise attendance and communicate its importance to pupils and their families. Careful monitoring of attendance patterns enables leaders to follow up on absences promptly and systematically. Consequently, attendance is now broadly in line with the national average and very few pupils are disadvantaged by poor attendance. This work has had a particularly positive impact for vulnerable pupils, where attendance has improved sharply. Where a pupil's attendance declines, leaders work with the local authority and external agencies to get additional help to support the pupil, parents and carers to improve attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Behaviour across the school is positive. Relationships between staff and pupils are respectful. Pupils understand the school’s expectations because staff apply the behaviour policy consistently and fairly. Pupils enjoy the recognition they receive through rewards of stickers and during celebration assemblies. Low-level disruption in lessons is infrequent, so pupils can focus on their learning without distraction. Incidents of bullying are rare. Leaders deal with poor behaviour promptly and fairly. This approach starts in the early years, where staff take the time to model learning behaviour to children. Subsequently, children work collaboratively together from the outset and enjoy their learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have made significant and carefully considered adaptations to the environment to support pupils to behave well. For example, some pupils benefit from using the centrally established sensory space to manage their own behaviour and engage with their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Since the last inspection, the curriculum has been through a period of significant change. Alterations to the curriculum have been carefully considered and implemented to ensure pupils are building their knowledge of writing on stronger foundations. New content now builds sequentially on what pupils have been taught before. In key stage 1, the essential skills of handwriting, spelling and mathematics are prioritised. This means increasing numbers of pupils leave key stage 1 as confident readers and writers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is suitably ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teachers carefully adapt their teaching and the tasks pupils complete to meet their needs. Where pupils have difficulties in securing the essential skills of handwriting, targeted support is put in place. On the whole, this is effective. However, some younger pupils do not make as rapid an improvement in their handwriting as they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff have secure subject knowledge. For example, phonics is taught well. Teachers explain concepts clearly and use questioning effectively to check that pupils are keeping up. As a result, pupils develop the skills they need to access the wider curriculum. Teachers provide feedback on pupils’ learning throughout the lesson. This helps to address pupils’ misunderstanding quickly so that errors do not persist.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders are committed to ensuring all children get off to a good start. The curriculum is ambitious and is well adapted to meet the needs of the children. For example, activities are carefully planned to support children's physical development, including the coordination and strength children need to hold a pencil and write. The development of children’s language and communication is a priority. New vocabulary and language are modelled effectively by adults as children learn through play. As a result, children make rapid progress from their starting points, and they typically achieve well. Children’s confidence and vocabulary grow quickly.

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Early years Expected standard

Relationships between staff and children are warm and supportive. Staff ensure that children develop their independence. Consequently, children learn to make positive choices, persist with tasks and manage their feelings. The environment is well organised to encourage exploration and purposeful play within safe boundaries.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly. Support is promptly put in place to help children to catch up in key areas of learning, such as reading, writing and personal and social development. When children join the school, leaders plan transition arrangements carefully so that staff understand children's needs well. This is particularly the case for children who are disadvantaged, those with SEND or those known to children’s social care.

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Inclusion Expected standard

High Clarence Academy is an inclusive school. The recent addition of the Blossom Class offers pupils with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) a carefully tailored curriculum that is well matched to their needs. In other classes, staff identify pupils with SEND promptly. Drawing on the advice and guidance of leaders and specialist trust staff, appropriate support is put in place. Leaders work closely with external agencies to develop plans tailored to individual needs. These plans are monitored closely to check they have a positive impact.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils who are at risk of falling behind are identified quickly and receive timely support. Where needed, leaders provide pupils with effective additional academic and pastoral help. This includes movement breaks, tutoring or access to counselling services.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils thoughtfully. They evaluate the impact of the support they provide, adjusting it where needed. Gaps between disadvantaged pupils and others are quickly narrowing as a result. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils have equal access to the wider opportunities that the school offers, including visits and clubs. Consequently, rates of participation are high.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for High Clarence Academy. They are determined that all pupils, regardless of background, will achieve well and leave the school as confident, well-rounded individuals. Leaders are tenacious advocates of equality. This vision is shared by all staff and those with responsibility for governance.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are reflective. They have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and the areas where further development is needed. They use this knowledge to drive improvement in a focused and sustainable way. This is reflected in the strategic plans that the school has in place. Leaders support and develop their staff effectively. Staff speak positively about the breadth of training and professional development opportunities they have received since joining the trust. This includes visits to other schools to share effective practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The trust provides effective support and challenge to the school. The trust holds leaders to account rigorously for the quality of education and for pupils’ outcomes. Those with responsibility for governance know the school well. They ensure they meet their statutory responsibilities. For example, they make checks on the impact of the additional funding the school receives.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work closely with parents and carers. Through planned opportunities, such as coffee mornings, they encourage parents to visit the school and share their views. Staff recognise the many positive changes in the school since the last inspection. Staff feel valued and supported. Morale is high. They know they make a tangible difference to the community that the school serves.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s personal, social and health education curriculum is well planned. Leaders have made suitable adjustments to the curriculum to ensure it meets pupils' needs. Because of the school’s coastal location, pupils across the year groups are provided with swimming lessons each year. This helps to develop pupils’ confidence around water. The relationships and sex education and health education programme supports older pupils to develop an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. They describe traits of a healthy relationship as one full of love, kindness and respect.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe online. They know the importance of their personal data and know to report their concerns about things they see on the internet to a trusted adult. Through the curriculum, pupils learn not to trust everything they see and read online.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Generally, pupils understand the importance of fundamental British values, such as the rule of law or democracy. Pupils enact these values when electing their head boy and head girl, voting for their choice of class story or agreeing their class rules at the start of the year.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a range of sporting and cultural opportunities. Leaders have harnessed technology to connect with pupils in Africa. This helps to give pupils an awareness of cultural differences and of the world beyond Port Clarence. The school broadens pupils' understanding of their local heritage through visits to local places of interest. Typically, pupils appreciate the broad range of faiths and religions that exist in Britain. However, their awareness of places of worship, and of the importance of these to different religious groups, is less secure.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders are determined to broaden pupils’ musical talents. All pupils learn up to 4 instruments as they move through the school. A range of clubs enriches pupils’ wider experiences. Leaders carefully track attendance at these activities so that disadvantaged pupils can enjoy wider participation.

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

High Clarence Academy is a small school where pupils have big dreams and aspirations for their futures. Inspired by visitors to the school, pupils recognise the value of hard work and perseverance in achieving their goals. They feel well supported by their teachers, who challenge them to do their best. Where pupils fall behind, the school provides the extra help pupils need to catch up.

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

Pupils’ positive attitudes to their learning are reflected in the way they conduct themselves in school. Classrooms are calm places. Pupils work collaboratively and purposefully. Positive relationships between pupils and staff give pupils the confidence they need to report their worries. This helps pupils to feel safe and cared for. At breaktimes, pupils take pride in supporting their younger peers. Older pupils, working as ‘Active 60 ambassadors’, encourage their friends to be active and to engage in meaningful play. Bullying is rare. If pupils do fall out, staff deal with it quickly. Leaders have made many improvements to the curriculum. Pupils enjoy their learning. They speak positively of the wider opportunities they receive. This motivates them to attend school more regularly. Over time, pupils’ attendance has improved. Pupils enjoy participating in local sporting fixtures and the residential visits they take part in. Links with a school in

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

Africa help to broaden pupils’ understanding of different cultures and beliefs. However, pupils’ understanding of different faiths and beliefs in modern Britain, including different places of worship in the UK, is not as secure as it could be.

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Next steps

Leaders should take action to strengthen the handwriting support they provide for younger pupils so that improvements to handwriting happen more rapidly. Leaders should ensure that pupils' attainment in writing by the end of key stage 2 is more closely aligned to their achievement in other curriculum areas, and in line with the national average. Leaders should build on their personal development offer to ensure that pupils’ understanding of different places of worship and faiths is further strengthened.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Enquire Learning 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), Darren Holmes, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Delyse Turrell.

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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 principal and other senior leaders, staff and pupils in the school during the inspection. Inspectors also visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. An inspector spoke with members of the board of trustees, and the academy improvement committee, including the chair. An inspector also met with the CEO.

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About this inspection

Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. The school joined The Enquire Learning Trust in September 2023.

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About this inspection

The school runs an 8-place special educational needs and/or disabilities unit for pupils with communication, interaction, cognition and learning difficulties.

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About this inspection

The school runs provision for 2-year-olds.

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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. The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

The school operates a before- and after-school club.

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What does this mean?

Principal: Nicola Caraher National average: 300

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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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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (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

2023/24 (final) 56% 61% 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

2023/24 (final) 75% 73% 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

2023/24 (final) 50% 46% 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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national average

2023/24 (final) 50% 58% Close to average

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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

2023/24 (final) 67% 59% Close to average

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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 (3 term) 5.8% 5.2% 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 (3 term) 15.9% 13.0% 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. 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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