By John Baron
Leeds West Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at its previous inspection by Ofsted inspectors.
That’s the verdict of inspectors visiting in October, who praised an ambitious curriculum in a ‘calm and orderly’ school, where pupils are ‘motivated and interested’.
The school, rated as ‘good’ at its last full inspection two years ago, is ambitious for all of its pupils. Since the last inspection, changes made to the curriculum are leading to improvements in pupils’ achievement.
Inspectors say: “This is a happy and inclusive school. The school’s values of care, commitment and community create an atmosphere of strong relationships in which pupils thrive. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Leaders have created a school where pupils can be themselves and feel valued as members of the school community.”
The report concludes that Leeds West Academy has worked at pace to identify all of the important knowledge that pupils should learn and the sequence in which it is delivered. This is having a positive impact on the quality of education.
Teachers are skilled at delivering the curriculum in their subjects.
However, sometimes teachers do not ensure that pupils’ knowledge and understanding are secure before moving on to more complex concepts. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their deeper knowledge of topics.
The school’s ‘vibrant and inclusive approach’ to support young people with special educational needs (SEND) is praised. But the school’s attendance strategy is not securing sufficient improvement for too many pupils with SEND.
“This means that these pupils do not benefit from the good quality of education that their peers receive and do not achieve as well. The school should intensify its actions to increase the attendance of pupils with SEND,” the report adds.
The report can be read in full here.