Viewley Hill Academy

Viewley Hill Academy

Address: Andover Way, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, TS8 9HL Unique reference number (URN): 140505

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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 Expected standard

Leaders monitor attendance closely. They act quickly when pupils are not attending regularly. Leaders work with families to understand the reasons for absence and offer appropriate support. As a result, overall attendance is improving and is now broadly in line with the national average. Historic rates of persistent absence have been too high. However, as a result of leaders’ tenacious monitoring and timely interventions, this is now reducing. While this will remain an ongoing priority for the school, more pupils are now benefiting from the curriculum improvements leaders have made.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

In lessons, pupils behave well. They focus on their learning and respond positively to staff. The school's behaviour policy is applied consistently, and pupils understand what is expected of them. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Around the school, pupils conduct themselves sensibly and are polite to visitors. Pupils feel safe and bullying is rare. When problems occur, staff deal with them promptly and effectively. Where pupils struggle to manage their behaviour, sensitive adaptations are made by well-trained staff. Through movement breaks, pupils are managing their own behaviour well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders closely monitor the progress of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those who are disadvantaged and pupils who face additional barriers to their learning. The school’s ‘SEND from the start’ approach means that staff plan learning with the needs of all pupils in mind. As a result, teachers are quick to make the necessary curriculum and teaching adaptations that pupils with SEND need. The school works closely with parents and carers. Parents are kept well informed about the support being provided to their children. The support that teachers provide to pupils meets their needs well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders review the impact of support regularly. They make suitable adjustments when they identify that provision is not working as well as it should. A small number of pupils access education elsewhere. The school’s use of alternative provision is well considered. Leaders have detailed commissioning arrangements in place, and they make regular checks on the education and welfare provision that pupils receive.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders closely track which pupils are eligible for pupil premium funding. They use the funding purposefully to reduce the barriers that disadvantaged pupils face. These pupils take part in the same range of activities as their peers and feel valued and supported. The school is an inclusive community where difference is recognised and respected.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know the school and its community well. They are ambitious for all pupils and act in their best interests when deciding the school’s improvement priorities. Informed by a well- planned monitoring programme, leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and the areas they are working to improve. In partnership with the trust, timely action has been taken to make curriculum improvements and provide high-quality staff training. Leaders communicate a clear vision for the school, rooted in its inclusive culture and the community that the school serves.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders make effective use of the support available through the trust. They access professional networks, shared training and expertise from specialist trust colleagues. This strengthens practice at the school and helps leaders to accelerate improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance, including trustees, provide appropriate levels of challenge and support to leaders. They receive the information they need to hold school and trust leaders to account for the school’s performance. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities. They ask challenging questions to better understand the impact of the actions leaders are taking. Governors visit the school regularly and have developed a clear understanding of its provision. They bring relevant skills and experience to their role and work well with the leadership team.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders give careful thought to staff's workload and wellbeing when they are introducing new initiatives. Staff are proud to work at the school and morale is high. All staff are confident in decisions taken by leaders in the school. This view is reflected by the parental community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides a well-structured programme for pupils’ personal development. Leaders have planned the personal, social and health education curriculum carefully and have tailored it to the needs of the community that the school serves. Leaders use assemblies effectively to teach pupils about the importance of British values and of the risks posed in the local community. For example, leaders have promoted the dangers of open water swimming and the importance of the emergency services in keeping pupils safe. Pupils have a secure understanding of the risks they face when using the internet. Pupils are confident in reporting any online concerns they have to a trusted adult.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The relationships and sex education and health education curriculum gives pupils an age- appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. This extends to some mature themes, such as consent.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s ‘Viewley values’ promote British values effectively. Pupils understand why these values matter and realise them in the way they behave towards one another. Pupils understand the importance of protected characteristics. They know how important it is to respect the attributes that make people unique.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils have access to a good range of clubs, trips and wider activities that extend their interests and broaden their horizons. Visits to local places of worship or virtual visits from faith leaders help to develop pupils' understanding of the different faiths and beliefs that exist in modern Britain today.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides effective support to pupils when concerns about wellbeing are identified. One-to-one and small-group support is provided for pupils who need help with personal circumstances such as bereavement or anxiety. Leaders ensure that reasonable

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Needs attention

adjustments are made for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) so that they can participate fully in the life of the school. As a result, participation rates for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND at after school clubs are increasing.

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Achievement Needs attention

While leaders have made positive changes to the English curriculum, the improvements seen in pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar are not yet consistently applied in pupils’ work across wider curriculum subjects. For some older pupils, gaps in these areas remain, and they are not securing the basics in writing quickly enough.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, the proportion of children leaving reception with the skills they need to access the key stage 1 curriculum has been too low. Nevertheless, across other year groups, pupils’ progress is strengthening. This is particularly the case for disadvantaged pupils, whose achievements in the end of key stage 2 national tests are typically in line with or higher than the standards achieved by disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils’ achievements in the Year 1 phonics screening check are typically in line with the standards achieved nationally. Pupils' outcomes in the Year 4 multiplication check have strengthened and are now aligned with national averages.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a broad curriculum that sets out clearly what pupils should know and be able to do at each stage of their education. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. Staff have received the training they need to teach phonics well. Increasing numbers of pupils leave key stage 1 as competent, confident readers.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders’ recent curriculum changes in English have been impactful. Here, staff have high expectations of pupils’ written work. Pupils’ handwriting is typically consistent in size and orientation, and teachers ensure pupils spell words and punctuate sentences accurately. Across key stage 1, the impact of precise phonics teaching is evident in pupils’ spelling and reading. However, this is inconsistently applied across the curriculum. In some subjects, and for some older pupils, their written responses are less well developed, and teachers do not insist on the same high standards of presentation and grammatical accuracy that are expected in English.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teachers typically model new learning well and explain concepts clearly to pupils. Teachers make regular checks on what pupils have learned. They use this information to plan what to teach next. This approach is particularly well refined in mathematics. During lessons, teachers check on the progress pupils are making and rectify errors quickly.

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Early years Needs attention

The early years classrooms are stimulating and vibrant places for children to learn. Phonics is well taught and the classrooms are awash with opportunities for children to read and explore number. Staff prioritise children’s personal, social and emotional development. Consequently, children engage positively with adults and with each other. Leaders ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged receive the support they need.

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Early years Needs attention

Children in the pre-school and nursery get off to a good start. Staff work closely with families to understand children's needs and starting points before they join the school. This preparation means that children settle quickly and staff are ready to support them from the outset. High-quality adult interactions with children promote their understanding of new words and language. However, as children get older, these interactions are less impactful. While adults encourage and celebrate children’s achievements, opportunities to use newly taught language are too often missed as children play.

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Early years Needs attention

The early years curriculum has clear end points so that staff know if children are on track in their learning. However, the curriculum is not adapted sharply enough to account for children’s specific needs. Consequently, too few children leave the early years with the skills and knowledge they need to access the key stage 1 curriculum. This is particularly the case in reading and writing.

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

Viewley Hill Academy is a welcoming and caring school where pupils feel happy and safe. Every pupil is known as an individual. Pupils are proud of their school. Most pupils realise the ‘Viewley values’ of respect and kindness in their attitudes to learning and each other. They thrive socially and emotionally because of the care and respect shown to them by staff.

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

Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. Pupils have many trusted adults they can speak with if they have a worry. Staff listen carefully and act quickly to resolve pupils’ concerns. Bullying is rare, but when problems arise, they are dealt with thoroughly. Typically, the school is calm and orderly. Pupils behave well in lessons. They understand the school's expectations clearly. This starts in the early years where children play cooperatively together. Here, staff are encouraging and celebrate children’s achievements. However, opportunities to develop children’s language and extend their vocabulary are missed too often. This impacts on the progress that children make.

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

Pupils enjoy their learning. Since the last inspection, leaders have made many positive changes to the curriculum. Because pupils’ attendance has improved, more pupils are benefitting from these curriculum improvements. By the time pupils leave the school, their achievements are similar to those achieved by other pupils nationally. Recent changes to handwriting are having a rapid impact on the presentation of pupils’ work in their English lessons. However, the quality of pupils’ work varies across the curriculum. Some older pupils have not secured the spelling, punctuation and handwriting skills they need. While their work in English is improving, in other subjects errors persist.

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

Viewley Hill provides a safe haven where pupils enjoy a variety of opportunities that broaden their social and cultural awareness. This includes visits to the theatre, local museums and involvement in community musical events. Older pupils look forward to the annual residential visit where they get to challenge themselves.

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Next steps

Leaders should review their early years curriculum to ensure that it is better sequenced and reflective of the needs of the children so that progress, particularly in reading and writing, is accelerated. Leaders should ensure that all staff in the early years model the vocabulary and language that they expect children to learn as they play. Leaders should ensure that the high expectations staff have of pupils’ spelling, punctuation and handwriting in English are embedded across all curriculum areas so that errors are not allowed to persist. Leaders should continue their impactful work to improve attendance so that more pupils benefit from the positive curriculum changes that leaders have made.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Lingfield Education 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), Nick Blackburn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Lancashire.

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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 headteacher, 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 local governing body, including the chair. An inspector also met with the CEO’s delegate.

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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 currently makes use of one registered alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

David Hodgkiss, Ofsted Inspector Ailsa Taylor, 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 7 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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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?

National average: 300 Headteacher: Kate Barkley

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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

2023/24 (final) 60% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 69% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 74% 74% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 77% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 69% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 71% 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

2023/24 (final) 74% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 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

2024/25 (final) 54% 47% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 55% 46% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 46% 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) 71% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 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) 60% 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) 61% 61% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

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

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mathematics

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

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

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

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Overall absence

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

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.5% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.4% 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

2022/23 (3 term) 14.5% 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

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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