Badger Hill Academy

Overview

Pupils at Badger Hill Academy “enjoy learning” and are described as “happy and safe.” The inspection highlights an “ambitious and challenging” curriculum, particularly the ‘life’ curriculum which raises aspirations, resulting in “Outstanding” personal development. While the overall effectiveness is rated “Good,” the report notes that there is more to do to ensure all parents understand how the trust and school work together.

Strengths

• The ‘life’ curriculum is “exceptional,” interweaving personal, social, health and economic education with responsibility and respect, helping pupils confidently discuss their future aspirations.
• Leaders have a “relentless focus on teaching pupils to read,” with effective phonics programmes and ‘Reading Routes’ that encourage reading for pleasure across all ages.
• Pupils behave well, are “kind and considerate,” and bullying “rarely happens.”
• Early years provision is “well-planned,” with staff skilfully teaching children to identify sounds in words from the earliest days.
• Safeguarding arrangements are “effective,” with robust systems for reporting concerns and relevant staff training.

Areas to improve

• Leaders need to “strengthen communication with parents” to address concerns quickly, as a minority do not always understand the school’s approaches.
• Subject leaders must ensure all teachers “enact their curriculum plans well,” as some lack sufficient subject knowledge or pedagogical skill to engage all learners.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective,” with staff trained to report concerns quickly and pupils confident that adults will help them if worried.