Bristol Metropolitan Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of their school.

They have many opportunities to learn about the wider world. For example, pupils gain valuable work experience with local companies. They learn about the world of the theatre by staging plays.

The school's curriculum inspires pupils' ambitions for their future lives.

Leaders provide tailored careers guidance which helps pupils to decide their next steps. Pupils understand what they need to achieve to access further education, apprenticeships and work.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive a good quality of education at Bristol Metropolitan Academy. They learn ...a range of subjects successfully and this prepares them for life beyond school. Pupils have positive attitudes towards learning foreign languages such as French, Spanish and German.

They have high aspirations and work hard to achieve well.

There is a harmonious learning environment across the school. Pupils behave well both in lessons and around the school.

Staff address bullying when it occurs. Pupils state that if they have a concern, they can go to a range of adults for help. They feel safe and cared for by staff.

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

Leadership of the school is outstanding. Both trust and school leaders are passionate about the role of the curriculum in transforming the lives of pupils. This vision is shared by staff.

Leaders have constructed an ambitious curriculum that helps pupils to learn well. They are tenacious in driving improvements in the design of the curriculum and its implementation. Leaders are relentless in pursuing the best-quality provision for pupils.

They provide highly effective professional development for teachers which leads to continuous improvement.

Leaders have ensured that pupils develop strong knowledge of a range of subjects. Through well-designed curriculums, pupils use their prior knowledge to learn new concepts.

For example, in history, pupils use their knowledge of 13th-century England and Baghdad to evaluate the role of religion. In English, pupils use what they know about staging to analyse Shakespeare's themes. Through the languages curriculum, pupils remember a breadth of vocabulary and speak the taught languages confidently.

Leaders have embedded a whole-school approach to reading for enjoyment. The programme enables all pupils to get to know a range of worthwhile texts. Leaders are rightly focused on ensuring that pupils learn to read well so that they can learn the wider curriculum.

However, the support for pupils who struggle with reading is not yet consistently effective.

Leaders have established a highly inclusive curriculum. Staff use information about pupils to provide bespoke support enabling pupils to learn with confidence and success.

They use assessment information well to check what pupils know and adapt the curriculum accordingly. Staff provide strong academic and emotional support for vulnerable pupils.

Leaders have designed a very effective careers curriculum.

The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause which provides pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

Pupils behave well. There is rarely any disruptive behaviour in lessons.

Pupils and staff have positive relationships. The vast majority of pupils are respectful and empathetic towards each other.

Leaders have planned the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum to include what pupils should learn.

Pupils learn about different groups in society who might experience discrimination. They are taught about the importance of being able to develop and maintain positive and healthy relationships in their own lives. Despite this, a small minority of pupils do not fully understand how to interact respectfully with others.

They do not gain the age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships that leaders intend.

Governance is extremely robust. Directors of the trust and the academy council pose rigorous challenge and support in equal measure.

They gather a breadth of information about the school to pose questions of school leaders. Leaders prioritise the well-being of staff, for example they make sure that early career teachers are well supported. Staff agree that leaders help them to manage their workload very effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are vigilant in keeping pupils emotionally and physically safe. They have established a strong system for recording and monitoring the safety of pupils.

They act speedily and appropriately when a pupil is at risk of harm. They work well with external agencies and escalate concerns when they feel that a pupil is not receiving the most appropriate support.

Staff receive up-to-date training.

They know how to identify when a pupil is at risk and how to refer their concerns. Leaders ensure that appropriate background checks are carried out on all adults who work at the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The reading strategy for pupils who struggle with reading is not as well designed as other areas of the curriculum.

Leaders must ensure that the reading programme for such pupils enables them to read well so that they can learn the curriculum successfully and confidently. ? The PSHE curriculum is not ensuring that all pupils gain an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. Leaders must ensure that all staff have the expertise to help pupils learn about healthy and equitable relationships both in school and the wider world.