Shaftoe Trust Academy

Shaftoe Trust Academy

Address: Haydon Bridge, Hexham, NE47 6BN Unique reference number (URN): 145412

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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 are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Leaders have established effective systems to monitor pupils’ progress and ensure that all groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, make secure and consistent progress from their starting points. Outcomes in phonics have been consistently above the national average over time. Pupils also achieve highly in mathematics, including in the multiplication tables check in Year 4. Children in the early years develop the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in Year 1.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils’ work demonstrates clear progression in knowledge and skills across the curriculum. It shows that pupils apply their reading, writing and mathematical skills successfully in a range of subjects. Pupils develop secure subject knowledge. They talk confidently about their learning across the curriculum. For example, in subjects such as science, history and French, pupils demonstrate their consistent understanding of key knowledge and develop the skills needed in different disciplines.

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Achievement Strong standard

Leaders use assessment effectively to ensure that pupils receive the support they need to succeed, including in their basic skills in reading, writing, mathematics and communication. Pupils with additional needs and those facing barriers to learning make secure and consistent progress from their starting points.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Attendance and behaviour are strengths of the school. Leaders have established clear systems to monitor attendance closely and identify any emerging concerns quickly. They analyse patterns carefully and work effectively with families and external partners to provide appropriate support where needed. Leaders understand their community well and take a personalised approach to addressing barriers, ensuring that pupils are supported to attend regularly. As a result, rates of attendance are high. Pupils enjoy coming to school and value the opportunities available to them.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils behave very well throughout the school. They are polite, respectful and considerate towards one another and adults. Pupils understand the high expectations for behaviour and follow routines consistently, creating a calm and purposeful environment where learning can flourish. In lessons, pupils demonstrate positive attitudes, listen carefully, participate actively and work well with others.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Relationships across the school are very positive. Pupils feel safe, know that adults care about them and are confident that any concerns will be dealt with effectively. Bullying is not accepted, and pupils understand the importance of kindness, respect and inclusion. Leaders know pupils extremely well and ensure that those who require additional support receive the right help to manage their behaviour successfully. As a result, pupils develop strong social skills, resilience and a positive attitude towards school life.

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Early years Strong standard

The early years provision provides children with a strong foundation for future learning. Leaders have designed a broad and carefully sequenced curriculum that enables children to develop knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. There is a clear focus on foundational skills, particularly reading, phonics, writing, vocabulary development, early mathematics and fine motor skills. This ensures that children make secure progress from their starting points and are well prepared for Year 1.

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Early years Strong standard

Phonics is a strength of the provision. Staff have secure subject knowledge and deliver the systematic programme consistently, supported by effective monitoring by the trust. Children develop confidence in applying their phonics knowledge to early reading and writing, with clear progress evident over time. Adults use interactions effectively to model vocabulary and extend children’s communication skills throughout the day.

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Early years Strong standard

Children are happy, settled and engaged in their learning. Well-established routines and positive relationships help children feel safe and develop independence. The learning environment supports purposeful play and exploration, with adults providing meaningful opportunities for children to practise and apply their learning.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders identify children’s needs quickly and ensure that those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who require additional support are fully included. Assessment is used effectively to track progress and plan appropriate support. As a result, children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for a successful transition into Year 1.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is a significant strength of the school and is central to leaders’ vision that every pupil succeeds. Leaders have established a culture in which pupils are valued as individuals and where barriers to learning and wellbeing are identified quickly and addressed effectively. Robust systems enable leaders to identify pupils’ needs accurately and monitor their progress closely. Leaders ensure that support is timely, well matched to pupils' needs and reviewed regularly for impact.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders work closely with families and a wide range of other professionals to secure the best possible outcomes for pupils. Well-established partnerships, alongside highly skilled leadership, ensure that specialist advice is translated into effective provision and that pupils receive coordinated support when required. Staff benefit from high-quality training that enables them to meet pupils’ changing needs with confidence and expertise.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders maintain high expectations for all pupils and are determined that no pupil’s circumstances limit their opportunities or success. Additional funding is used strategically, with careful evaluation of its impact on pupils’ academic achievement, attendance and wider development. As a result, disadvantaged pupils achieve well and participate fully in all aspects of school life. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils with other vulnerabilities also make secure progress from their starting points. They benefit from an inclusive culture in which they feel valued, supported and fully involved in school life.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders provide strong and effective leadership. They have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities and use this knowledge to secure continued improvement. Leaders evaluate the impact of their work carefully through a range of evidence, including assessment information, monitoring activities, pupil discussions and work scrutiny. They are ambitious for all pupils and maintain a clear focus on ensuring that every pupil achieves well and benefits from a high-quality education.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The trust provides valuable support and challenge to the school. Trust systems have strengthened consistency, including in areas such as safeguarding, curriculum development, assessment and professional development. Leaders benefit from access to specialist expertise, regular quality assurance and opportunities to work collaboratively with colleagues across the trust. This partnership has supported leaders to refine the quality of the provision and ensure that statutory responsibilities are met effectively.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governance is effective. Trustees and governors know the school well and provide appropriate support and challenge. They have a clear understanding of school priorities, monitor the impact of actions taken and maintain strong oversight of safeguarding, pupil outcomes and the use of additional funding.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders prioritise staff's wellbeing and professional learning. Staff feel valued, supported and proud to work at the school. Leaders provide high-quality training that develops staff's expertise and enables them to take on additional responsibilities. The school benefits from a strong sense of teamwork and shared commitment.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders engage positively with families and the wider community. They work effectively with other professionals and the trust to strengthen provision and secure the best outcomes for pupils. The regular collaboration between school leaders, governors, the trust and staff contributes significantly to the school’s continued success.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Personal development and wellbeing are significant strengths of the school. Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-planned programme that reflects the context of the school and ensures that pupils develop the knowledge, confidence and character they need to succeed in modern Britain. Leaders place deliberate focus on helping pupils understand diversity, equality and different perspectives. Pupils speak confidently about different faiths, cultures and protected characteristics and understand the importance of acceptance, respect and inclusion.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal, social and health education curriculum is carefully structured and enriched by a wide range of experiences. Pupils benefit from opportunities such as residential visits, trips to London, visits to places of worship, including a mosque and a synagogue, sporting activities, leadership opportunities and the trust’s Childhood Pledge. These experiences broaden pupils’ horizons and help them develop resilience, independence and confidence.

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Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils understand the wider world beyond their local community and are prepared for life beyond school.

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Expected standard

Pupils have a secure and consistent understanding of healthy lifestyles, relationships, personal boundaries, consent and how to keep themselves safe, including online. The relationships, sex and health education curriculum is carefully planned and age-appropriate, enabling pupils to discuss important issues with maturity. Pupils also understand fundamental British values. For example, pupils can explain why democracy, respect and individual liberty are important.

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Expected standard

Pastoral support is highly effective. Leaders know pupils extremely well and identify when pupils need additional support with their wellbeing. Staff are trained to support pupils’ emotional needs, and pupils are confident that trusted adults will listen and help. The school provides a rich range of opportunities for pupils to develop their interests, talents and leadership skills, ensuring that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, participate fully in school life.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have developed a broad, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that identifies the essential knowledge pupils should learn across all subjects. The curriculum is carefully designed to meet the needs of mixed-age classes, with clear progression that enables pupils to build securely on prior learning. Reading is a particular strength. Phonics is taught consistently by well-trained staff and is monitored closely, resulting in positive outcomes. Leaders have also strengthened curriculum planning, assessment and subject expertise, ensuring that pupils develop secure knowledge across the wider curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is effective overall. Leaders have an accurate understanding of its strengths and areas for further development. They monitor the quality of education closely and provide timely support and training for staff where required. In the most effective practice, teachers use secure subject knowledge, make effective links to prior learning and check pupils’ understanding carefully.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders recognise that there is still further work to do to ensure greater consistency across all classes. In particular, teachers do not always make the most suitable adaptations to ensure that all pupils are consistently supported to access the intended curriculum successfully. Leaders have accurately identified this as a priority and are taking appropriate action to strengthen practice so that the quality of teaching is consistent across the school.

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

Pupils enjoy coming to this school and feel a strong sense of belonging. They describe feeling safe, valued and supported by adults who know them well. The school motto, ‘treat others as you would like to be treated’, is lived out by pupils every day. Pupils are kind, respectful and considerate towards one another. They understand the importance of including everyone in school life.

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

Pupils are proud of their school and demonstrate excellent manners throughout the day. They speak confidently with adults and visitors and show care for each other. They understand the importance of respecting difference and can explain why equality, diversity and protected characteristics matter. Pupils talk thoughtfully about different faiths and cultures, drawing on experiences such as visits to a mosque, synagogue and other places of worship. They recognise that learning about others helps them to understand and respect the wider world.

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

Pupils behave very well and follow routines consistently. They move around school calmly and show positive attitudes to learning. In lessons, pupils listen carefully, contribute to discussions and work well with others. They are confident that adults will help them if they have worries and they know who their trusted adults are. Pupils understand what bullying is and say that it is rare. They are confident that staff will deal with any concerns effectively.

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

Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences that enrich their education. They enjoy trips, including visits to London, museums and places of interest, residential opportunities, sporting activities and leadership roles through the school council and other responsibilities. The trust’s Childhood Pledge provides further opportunities for pupils to develop resilience, confidence and independence.

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

Pupils understand the importance of healthy lifestyles, personal wellbeing and how to keep themselves safe, including online. They are ambitious, thoughtful and well prepared for their next steps. Pupils, including those with additional needs or who face barriers, are encouraged to participate fully and are supported to flourish as valued members of the school community.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to develop adaptive teaching strategies and ensure that they are used consistently across all classes so that every pupil accesses the curriculum securely.

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About this inspection

This school is part of WISE Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), 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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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 14 July 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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School capacity

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, the head of school, members of the trust executive team and the school's senior leadership team during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke to staff, pupils and parents. The lead inspector spoke to the CEO of the trust, members of the board of trustees and members of the local governing body.

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School capacity

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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School capacity

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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School capacity

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. The executive headteacher joined the school in January 2026.

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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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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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average

2023/24 (final) 71% 72% Close to average

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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

‘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

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) 33% 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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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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Persistent absence

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

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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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