Consett Academy

Overview

Leaders and staff at Consett Academy share "high expectations for pupils’ achievement and conduct," fostering a "positive" behaviour culture where bullying is rare. The school has made significant progress since its previous inspection, with leaders acting quickly to address past weaknesses in curriculum design and attendance. While the overall picture is one of a welcoming community with effective safeguarding, specific groups of pupils require more tailored support to achieve their full potential.

Strengths

• The curriculum is well-designed, covering a "broad range of topics" with "careful choices" about content sequencing to prepare pupils for future education or employment.
• Staff provide regular, high-quality assessment and feedback, helping to identify and address "gaps in pupils’ knowledge" quickly.
• A whole-school literacy strategy, including phonics interventions and vocabulary focus, is having a "significant impact on pupils’ literacy levels."
• Staff workload and well-being are considered by leaders, and training for all staff, including early career teachers, is of a "high quality."
• Sixth-form students engage in activities that develop a "good depth of knowledge" in their chosen subjects.

Areas to improve

• Curriculum adaptations and teaching approaches for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), particularly those with cognition and learning needs, are not consistently effective.
• Opportunities for debate in ‘Aspire’ lessons are limited, resulting in some pupils having a "limited" understanding of fundamental British values and personal development topics.
• Leaders’ oversight of alternative provision placements is not robust enough, meaning they lack a strong understanding of the suitability and impact of these settings.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff understanding risks and leaders ensuring "swift and appropriate action" is taken when concerns are raised.