Astrea Academy Woodfields

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations which some pupils meet. However, too many pupils fall short of these. The number of pupils who are removed from lessons or receive a suspension for poor behaviour is too high.

Too many pupils miss important learning because of low attendance and/or poor behaviour. As a result, they have gaps in their knowledge which slow their learning. Pupils' outcomes in GCSE examinations are too low.

Leaders' work ensures that pupils and students are kept safe. Teachers address bullying when it occurs. This is not always as timely as some pupils or parents and carers would like.

Students in the sixth form benefit from attending the provision.... They access a small number of high-quality courses. Sixth-form students' behaviour is of a high standard.

They attend school more often than pupils in key stages 3 and 4. Sixth-form students achieve well in external examinations.

Leaders are increasing the range of enrichment activities on offer.

Pupils now participate in the school's 'lunchtime electives', such as homework, sports and arts clubs. Although these are relatively new, participation is growing as leaders develop the programme further.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

New leaders, at both a school and trust level, have accurately identified the areas they need to focus on to improve the school.

They have taken significant steps to address these areas of weakness. For some areas of weakness, such as the quality of education provided, the impact of leaders' work is beginning to be seen. However, this is not true for all areas of weakness.

For example, the proportion of pupils who attend school regularly is decreasing. All leaders recognise that there is more to do to ensure that all pupils are in school and receive the quality of education that leaders aim to provide.

The proportion of pupils who receive consequences for poor behaviour is too high and increasing.

This includes the most vulnerable pupils, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Too many pupils are removed from lessons or receive suspensions because of their poor behaviour. These pupils miss important knowledge.

Consequently, their learning stalls.

Although leaders are establishing systems to overcome barriers to attendance, they are not having the impact needed. Pupils' attendance remains too low.

The number of pupils who do not attend school often enough is increasing. These pupils miss important learning and fall behind their peers. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND attend school less often than their peers.

Some pupils choose to truant from individual lessons.Leaders' work on the curriculum is beginning to improve the quality of education pupils receive. Subject leaders, in some cases with support from colleagues in the trust, have made sure that the curriculum covers the most important knowledge pupils need to acquire.

Teachers present this to pupils in a logical order that builds on what has been taught before.

Pupils' experience in lessons is variable. Teachers typically explain new information clearly.

They use a school-wide set of routines in lessons with increasing consistency. Teachers routinely check on what pupils know. In some lessons, these checks do not give teachers the information that they need.

In others, teachers do not adapt their teaching in response. Consequently, some work is not matched well to the needs of pupils. This slows pupils' progress.

All pupils in key stages 3 and 4 access daily reading during 'Apollo' lessons. Leaders have carefully selected the texts they want pupils to read. These include books which consider important social issues.

Pupils in the early stages of learning to read are identified and receive additional support quickly. This support enables pupils to catch up with their peers increasingly well.

Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers.

Teachers adapt their teaching well to meet the needs of these pupils. A small number of pupils with SEND receive additional support, such as those who access 'The Bridge'. Pupils return to mainstream lessons after their period of support.

This enables them to re-engage with the curriculum.

Students in the sixth form are well supported by staff. They attend school more regularly, behave better and are more focused on their learning than pupils in key stages 3 and 4.

Many students participate in additional enrichment opportunities. Some of these lead to further accreditation. For example, some students gain qualifications in sports massage.

Students receive appropriate careers advice. This supports them to secure high-quality destinations.

Leaders have introduced new routines, including 'morning address', to complement personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons.

Leaders have ensured that these cover statutory content and are adapted to the ages of pupils. Although pupils are taught about fundamental British values and protected characteristics, some pupils do not show respect for difference in their interactions with their peers.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The work of staff ensures that pupils are kept safe. Staff are well trained in safeguarding and child protection. Leaders provide regular updates to the wider staff team.

Staff are knowledgeable about the risks that are present in their local community. They know how to report a concern about the well-being of pupils and do this in a timely way.Leaders maintain detailed records of concerns raised.

The safeguarding team works closely with other leaders. For example, leaders use the weekly 'PISA' pastoral meetings to follow up concerns and ensure that actions are completed. Leaders have established effective links with the external agencies which help them to support pupils and students.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The number of pupils being removed from lessons or receiving suspensions as a result of poor behaviour is too high. Too much learning time is lost and these pupils fall behind their peers. Leaders should ensure that they understand the causes of pupils' poor behaviour and put steps in place to reduce the risk of it reoccurring.

• Too many pupils do not attend school often enough. These pupils have gaps in their knowledge. These gaps slow pupils' learning.

Leaders should continue to embed the new attendance strategy and work with the community to remove barriers to regular attendance. ? In some lessons, teachers do not use assessment effectively to check on what pupils know and to adjust their teaching to fill gaps in pupils' understanding. In these lessons, work is not well matched to pupils' needs and pupils do not catch up as quickly as they could.

Leaders should review the impact of the new routines established and provide additional training to staff where required. ? Some pupils' understanding of aspects of the PSHE programme, such as awareness of the protected characteristics, is limited. For some pupils, this limited understanding is reflected in negative interactions with their peers.

Leaders should further enhance pupils' awareness of equalities to support the respectful culture they are seeking to establish