Cecil Jones Academy

Overview

Cecil Jones Academy is described as a school where pupils are “enthusiastic and engaged learners” who value respect and community contribution. The report highlights that the trust has successfully “turned the school around,” creating an environment where pupils want to learn and attendance is improving. While the quality of education is showing “significant improvement,” outcomes in qualifications have not yet reached their highest potential.

Strengths

• Pupils follow an “ambitious curriculum” with lessons that are “purposeful and interesting,” fostering debate and opinion expression.
• Staff consistently follow the behaviour policy, ensuring lessons are “calm” and social times are “civil,” with pupils calling out disrespectful behaviour.
• Reading is prioritised with significant investment in resources; staff receive regular training, and the trust believes “reading opens every door.”
• Sixth-form students have “high aspirations,” with increasing numbers gaining university places and benefiting from work experience opportunities.
• Leaders hold staff to account effectively, and staff report feeling supported and proud to work at the school.

Areas to improve

• Teachers must consistently adapt learning to meet the individual needs of all pupils, including those with SEND and those learning English, to ensure a consistent learning experience.
• The school must address high suspension rates for a small group of pupils in key stage 4, which interrupts their learning and progression.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”