James Marks Academy

Overview

James Marks Academy is a specialist school where pupils with special educational needs and disabilities “flourish in the school's nurturing and highly ambitious community.” The report describes a “highly inclusive culture” that is “deeply embedded,” enabling students to overcome significant barriers to learning and achieve well academically, socially, and emotionally. Leaders and staff are praised for their “absolute commitment to pupils' achievement” and for creating an environment where pupils feel safe, valued, and well supported.

Strengths

• Pupils “achieve well academically, socially and emotionally from their different starting points,” with high-quality work produced in GCSE and A-level studies.
• Attendance improves significantly for many pupils through “carefully targeted interventions” that remove individual barriers.
• Behaviour is “highly positive” and respectful, underpinned by clear routines and a “calm and caring” school environment.
• Teachers are “experts in their subjects” who provide “skilful teaching and thoughtful adaptations” to address individual needs successfully.
• The personal development programme is “comprehensive and well-sequenced,” helping pupils build essential life skills, confidence, and independence.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should “promote reading more widely across subjects beyond English” to secure a consistently transformational impact for all pupils.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with an “open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility” ensuring that concerns are actively identified and managed to keep pupils safe.