Old Bank Academy

Overview

This is a “nurturing and inclusive school” where pupils are “proud to attend” and feel “safe and happy.” The report describes the impact of recent improvements on the school community as “transformational,” with parents, staff, and pupils being “overwhelmingly positive” about the progress made and the “strong ethos of care and support.”

Strengths

• The school has an “ambitious curriculum” that maps out key knowledge, with pupils achieving well in mathematics through “frequent practice” and “quick recall activities.”
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) “thrive in this inclusive environment,” benefiting from clear individual plans and adaptations that enable them to work alongside peers.
• Reading is prioritised effectively, with phonics starting in Reception and extra daily practice for those needing to “catch up,” ensuring pupils “learn to read successfully.”
• The school provides a “wealth of opportunities to broaden pupils’ life skills,” including ‘i-challenge’ passports and high-quality pastoral care that supports mental health and resilience.
• Staff feel “exceptionally well supported” with workload and well-being, contributing to a “highly positive culture” created by new leaders.

Areas to improve

• The curriculum in some foundation subjects is at an “earlier stage of implementation,” meaning pupils cannot consistently connect new knowledge with previous learning, which “limits pupils deeper understanding.”
• Some older pupils have not secured “accurate letter formation,” causing them to “struggle when they need to write at length.”

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective.”