Charter Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Charter Academy and enjoy coming to school. Staff have created a safe and respectful learning environment.

Pupils learn to be kind and polite. They know that school is always a fair place and that all are included and welcomed. From a very young age, pupils start to develop confidence, resilience and independence.

They know that it is 'okay to get things wrong' and that you have to keep trying.

Pupils are keen to learn and to improve their knowledge and skills. The school has high expectations for them.

Pupils do their best to meet these aspirations. Pupils understand the need to behave well and do so. They feel safe at school..../>
Oracy is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils' skills and understanding of language have developed from the teaching of oracy, where you learn 'to talk through talk' and 'to listen'. Pupils' learning in all subject areas benefits from the development of these skills.

Pupils enjoy a range of learning opportunities outside the classroom. All look forward to their forest school lessons and visits to places of interest. The school ensures that all school trips have links to classroom learning.

All benefit from taking part in pupil leadership lessons.

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

The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn.

Pupils make connections between new learning and what they already know. This means that they build their knowledge successfully over time. However, a few pupils sometimes need longer to consolidate their understanding of new content.

Teachers' subject knowledge is generally good. Some staff are less confident when teaching curriculum areas they are less familiar with. This results in teachers sometimes not being as responsive to the immediate learning needs of pupils.

In most subjects, teachers check carefully what pupils understand. However, in a small number of subjects, the assessment and checks of pupils' work are less effective. Consequently, staff do not always have the information they need to improve pupils' learning.

The school knows its pupils well and there are strong and trusting relationships in place. Well-established classroom routines make sure that learning is maximised, and pupils are safe in all areas of the school. The school works closely with the families of pupils with SEND and with specialists to ensure that there is appropriate and strong support in place.

Teachers adapt their lessons so that all pupils can participate.

Reading is a priority for the school. Staff deliver phonics effectively.

They carefully check progress so that any pupils who fall behind can receive additional help and catch up quickly. Pupils are keen to become fluent and confident readers. High-quality reading material inspires pupils to develop a love of reading.

One pupil commented, 'Reading helps you immerse yourself in another world.'

The development and impact of oracy in the school have been exceptional. It has transformed the way pupils communicate.

They are able to reflect, reason and listen carefully to what is being said. Staff model how younger children are expected to talk and listen. In group discussions, pupils talk things through with learning partners and reflect on their learning.

They then put forward their points of view and consider those of others. Pupils commented that, 'We are more respectful now,' and 'This has changed how we speak and are spoken to at home.'

The personal development programme provides many opportunities for pupils.

These include pupil leadership lessons, enrichment activities, trips and a range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils can explain fundamental British values in some depth because the school makes practical connections to their everyday lives. Pupils say that equality and respect are central to school life.

Pupils encounter a wide range of cultural experiences, including visiting musicians, food tasting, bread making and taking part in culture days.

Early years children play and work happily together. They develop strong friendships.

Warm and positive relationships exist between children and staff. In the early years, children's language development is supported exceptionally well. Children learn to manage their emotions and feelings.

They leave Reception well prepared for Year 1.Governors, trustees, the chief executive officer and other trust leaders know the school, its staff, pupils and community well. They have all helped and supported the school on its journey of improvement.

Charter Academy ensures that staff are well looked after and are supported in the management of their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, monitoring and assessment processes do not provide sufficient information that will help teachers plan the next steps in learning effectively.

This means that pupils sometimes do not make the progress they could. The school should ensure that teachers use effective assessment strategies in all subjects to identify and plan what needs to be taught next in a sequence of learning. A few teachers are not as confident in teaching some areas of the curriculum as they are in others.

The teaching is not always responsive enough to the needs of all pupils. As a result, pupils' knowledge and understanding do not improve as much as they could. The school should ensure that all relevant staff have the required knowledge to deliver the curriculum effectively.