Fairfield Academy

Overview

Fairfield Academy continues to be a good school, offering a "warm and welcoming atmosphere" where pupils are "kind and considerate." Leaders maintain high expectations for behaviour and learning, ensuring that bullying rarely occurs and that pupils feel safe and supported. The curriculum is carefully planned, with particular success in mathematics and geography, though specific improvements are required in reading instruction and personal, social and health education.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate "positive behaviours" and are "socially aware," showing a moral duty to support others and resolve conflicts independently.
• Teachers use effective strategies, such as regular revisiting of prior learning, helping pupils feel they are "good at it" in subjects like mathematics and geography.
• Staff provide timely support for gaps in learning and use resources like "bedtime book bags" to promote reading enjoyment with families.
• Leaders conduct well-being surveys and invite experts to help pupils manage worries, while governors "effectively challenge leaders and hold them to account."
• Older pupils build confidence and responsibility by supporting younger children during lunchtimes and engaging in extracurricular activities.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure pupils secure their phonics knowledge before moving on, as some are moved too quickly and lack opportunities to read books matching the sounds they know.
• Leaders must review the PSHE curriculum to address gaps in learning caused by the pandemic, specifically ensuring pupils gain an age-appropriate understanding of relationships education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with appropriate staff checks, training to identify signs of harm, and pupils learning how to keep themselves safe online and in their community.