Harworth Church of England Academy

Overview

Harworth CofE Academy continues to be a good school, where leaders maintain a clear vision based on the ‘3As: Amaze, Achieve, Aspire’. Pupils enjoy school, benefit from positive relationships with staff, and are taught that with hard work, ‘You can be what you want to be.’ The school fosters a culture of kindness and high expectations, with parents holding the institution in high regard.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm and respect in lessons, embracing challenge and understanding that ‘bullying does not have a place in their school’.
• Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), with lessons carefully sequenced to build knowledge over time.
• Staff subject knowledge is good, and curriculum leaders provide effective support; for example, in computing, pupils produce complex projects like propaganda plays.
• Staff well-being is prioritised through initiatives such as ‘no meeting’ weeks, leading to high staff pride and confidence in school leaders.
• Pupils engage in a wide range of extra-curricular roles, such as eco-warriors and diversity officers, learning the importance of ‘courageous advocacy’.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must address inconsistencies in the teaching of early reading, specifically ensuring staff use accurate pronunciation of letters and correct pupil errors in phonics.
• Assessment information for phonics must be used more effectively to ensure books pupils take home are closely matched to the sounds they know, preventing delays in reading progress.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders committed to keeping pupils safe through rigorous pre-employment checks, timely referrals, and staff who are vigilant to signs of risk.