Bexhill Academy

Bexhill Academy

Address: Bexhill Road, Town End Farm, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 4PJ Unique reference number (URN): 136487

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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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Early years Exceptional

Leaders have designed a profoundly effective curriculum that begins in the provision for 2- year-olds and builds carefully through the early years foundation stage. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to secure children's development across all areas of learning while establishing firm foundations for success.

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Early years Exceptional

A defining strength of the provision is the deliberate way that leaders have embedded belonging throughout the curriculum. Leaders and staff have a deep understanding of child development and an uncompromising ambition for children whose life experiences and starting points might otherwise place them at a disadvantage. Leaders' work extends beyond preparing children for the next stage of education, it is about improving the life chances of all. The curriculum is purposeful, precise and carefully adapted to meet individual needs.

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Early years Exceptional

Staff create a calm and purposeful environment. Every interaction deliberately maximises communication, language and vocabulary. Staff know every individual child well and identify their next steps in detail. They ensure that every activity optimises learning. As a result, at a very early stage, children secure the early steps in communication and language they need to be successful. Early reading, writing and mathematics are a priority, and children flourish in these areas. Leaders have developed a highly effective curriculum through which all children, including those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities, can excel.

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Early years Exceptional

In the setting for 2-year-olds, children show impressive levels of cooperation and communication. This is because adults have deliberately created an environment that enables every child to achieve. Children develop the foundational skills that they need across the early years to be exceptionally well prepared for their next stage of school. This is particularly evident for disadvantaged children.

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Early years Exceptional

Staff work in highly effective collaboration with parents and carers, who are extremely positive about the levels of care and education their children receive. Children's emotional wellbeing is placed as the highest priority.

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Achievement Strong standard

By the time pupils leave the school at the end of key stage 2, they attain consistently well. This is particularly the case for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, whose progress through the curriculum is impressive. Leaders ensure that pupils, especially those in the early stages of reading, writing and mathematics, secure accuracy and fluency in the basic skills they need for future learning. Staff meticulously track any gaps in knowledge and quickly address these so that pupils do not fall behind their peers. Pupils recall previous learning with clarity and depth because leaders have designed the curriculum so that pupils have regular opportunities to revisit their learning. This is reflected in the high-quality work in pupils' books.

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Achievement Strong standard

Outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are consistently in line with, or above, national average. Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils exceed the outcomes of their peers nationally.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders' approaches to ensuring that pupils attend well are successful. School is calm and welcoming. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn. Leaders analyse attendance regularly and identify patterns early. This enables them to support pupils who need to attend more regularly. Leaders work effectively with families to remove barriers to attendance. These actions have a positive impact on improving pupils' attendance overall, as well as for pupils who are persistently absent. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils have high attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils behave consistently well in lessons and during breaktimes. They interact well, showing respect and empathy towards others. The highly effective work that leaders begin in the early years ensures that pupils feel a strong sense of belonging at the school. Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong and are adamant that discrimination should not be tolerated. They celebrate individual differences and are welcoming to everyone. Pupils who need additional help to regulate their behaviour receive compassionate, timely and effective support from staff. Pupils say that when incidents of bullying occur, staff deal with them immediately. They are confident that staff take any concerns that they raise seriously and act swiftly to resolve them.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established a consistently inclusive culture that ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those who are disadvantaged and those known or previously known to social care receive timely and well-coordinated academic and wellbeing support. Leaders work with professionals and external organisations to ensure that pupils receive the expert care and support that they need. Leaders have developed a highly effective approach to ensure that pupils' needs are identified early. They make regular checks to ensure that pupils receive high-quality support aligned to their needs. Leaders ensure that all staff understand the barriers faced by disadvantaged pupils and those known or previously known to social care. Leaders and staff employ carefully considered strategies to develop pupils' confidence and help them to be ready to learn.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff access high-quality training to enable them to meet the individual needs of pupils. Leaders have adapted the curriculum so that teachers know how to check that pupils access learning successfully. Staff identify any gaps in knowledge and support children with SEND to close the gaps in their foundational skills. Leaders use research-informed approaches to support disadvantaged pupils. The use of the pupil premium strategy ensures that barriers to pupils’ learning, wellbeing and personal development are removed effectively.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have high aspirations and ambition for all pupils at the school. They are determined to overcome any barriers for all learners. Leaders have carefully adapted the curriculum so that all pupils are consistently supported to succeed.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders identify the right priorities and take action to improve these areas. For example, leaders' actions to address absences over time have ensured that pupils’ attendance has improved. Leaders have identified that, in some classes, teaching could be more consistent and in line with the strength that is seen across the rest of the school. Their actions to develop this are having a positive impact.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Those responsible for governance provide strategic oversight. They meet their statutory duties effectively, ensuring that decisions are made in the best interests of pupils. The local governing body engages closely with the school and understands the school's context well. Trustees and governors provide balanced support and challenge to leaders in a constructive way.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff feel valued and well supported by leaders. They feel that leaders prioritise their wellbeing and workload. Leaders consider professional learning well so that staff receive the training they need to develop in their roles. Staff value the in-depth training they receive, which leads to them focusing on what makes the biggest difference to pupils' achievement.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders engage well with parents and carers and the wider school community. Highly positive partnerships between families and school are formed from the beginning of children's educational journey. Leaders work effectively with external agencies and wider professionals to ensure that pupils receive the support that they need.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have ensured that pupils benefit from a range of enrichment opportunities. These include learning outdoors in the school's forest area, residential educational visits and musical instrument tuition. The school’s offer ensures that pupils receive opportunities that broaden their cultural awareness. The carefully designed 'childhood pledge' ensures that all pupils receive a sequence of planned events that enhance their learning throughout school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities that pupils are keen to attend and enjoy. Leaders are determined that every pupil should receive equitable access to the wider opportunities on offer at school. They track participation and ensure that they remove any barriers to pupils attending these events. Pupils contribute to their wider school community, for example, through local fundraising or planting wildflowers in the locality. Pupils write to local politicians to tackle issues in their community. This develops their citizenship understanding and enables them to be active members of their local community.

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Expected standard

Leaders have devised a comprehensive programme of assemblies that runs alongside the taught programme of personal development. This ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils understand the fundamental British values and talk about tolerance and fairness in an age-appropriate way. They understand that some people have characteristics that mean they should be treated fairly and protected legally. Pupils are keen to share their understanding of equality and acceptance.

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Expected standard

The curriculum for personal, social and health education is tailored to meet pupils' needs. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. Staff teach pupils, including children in the early years, how to keep physically and mentally healthy. Pupils have a secure understanding of how to stay safe in their locality and when they are online.

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Expected standard

Leaders support pupils well to feel prepared when arriving in the early years, moving between classes or key stages and leaving for secondary school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that there is a well-thought-out curriculum across all subjects, including in the early years. The curriculum makes it clear what crucial knowledge and vocabulary children should learn and revisit at each stage in each term and each year across the school. Pupils secure important new knowledge, building on what they already know. Leaders have made adaptations to the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those who may face other barriers to learning. This means that they are taught alongside their peers and make similar progress through the curriculum. Leaders ensure that pupils learn basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics as a foundation for all other learning across the curriculum. Leaders place high priority on developing early reading.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, teachers deliver lessons well. Where this works well, they explain new concepts clearly so that pupils know what they need to do in lessons. Teachers use questioning in lessons to check how well pupils are understanding the lesson content and then use this information to decide when to move on to new learning. However, this pedagogy is more established in some curriculum subjects than others and is not consistent between classes and year groups across the school.

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

Pupils arrive at school happy and ready to make a prompt start to their day. They are well cared for and feel valued by staff. Pupils have positive relationships with staff and one another. This includes pupils in the early years, who are expertly nurtured and taught so that they excel. Pupils feel a strong sense of belonging at the school. Generally, pupils work hard in lessons and are proud of the high standards in their work. They know that staff have ambition for them and that they will help them to overcome any barriers to learning.

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

Pupils behave well in lessons and throughout the school day. Disruption to pupils' learning in lessons is rare and is dealt with swiftly by staff. Pupils have a strong understanding of bullying and say that it does not happen often at their school. They know that if it did, adults would deal with it quickly. Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school and that 'it is a good place'. They attend well. They enjoy the experiences that staff provide for them and are grateful for the wide range of clubs on offer, which include botanical club and computing club. Older pupils relish the leadership roles. These include 'house captains' and 'rights rangers'. All children have equity of access to the wider opportunities the school offers, including disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to learning or their wellbeing.

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

Pupils are well supported to understand risks they may face online or in their community. They talk confidently about the strategies they can use to keep safe. Pupils have a positive attitude towards keeping a healthy mind. They say that school has helped them with this. The wellbeing support that pupils receive enables them to thrive and therefore achieve well.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff further develop their subject knowledge and expertise to ensure that all curriculum subjects are consistently well taught and that highly effective teaching is embedded across the school.

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About this inspection

This school is part of WISE Academies, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Zoe Carr, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Margaret Stephenson.

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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 senior leaders, trust representatives, governors and trustees during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

Sonia Fraser, Ofsted Inspector Samuel Donaldson, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 16 June 2026

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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 6 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 needs support 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

2022/23 (final) 61% 60% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 78% 75% Close to average

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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 (final) 81% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 73% 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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national average

2022/23 (final) 39% 44% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 62% 63% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 68% 60% Close to average

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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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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 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

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

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average

2022/23 (final) 57% 59% 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 (3 term) 4.9% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.2% 5.9% 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) 12.8% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 18.2% 16.2% 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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