Skegby Junior Academy

Overview

Skegby Junior Academy has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The school is described as “highly inclusive and welcoming,” where staff have created a “nurturing environment” with “warm and kind” relationships. Pupils follow an “ambitious curriculum” and benefit from high expectations, though some specific groups face challenges in achieving parity with their peers.

Strengths

• The curriculum is “carefully planned” to build knowledge over time, with staff teaching new vocabulary well and ensuring pupils can “communicate their answers and ideas well.”
• Staff “quickly identify and address pupils’ needs,” including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), through “careful adaptations” and “tailored interventions.”
• There is a “strong commitment from leaders at all levels to provide a high-quality education,” with the trust providing “effective staff development and professional challenge.”
• Pupils are “well engaged” in lessons and behave sensibly, following the school’s ‘SMART’ values; attendance “continues to improve across the school.”
• The school provides “rich extra-curricular experiences” that help pupils “develop their confidence” and learn to be “tolerant and respectful of others.”

Areas to improve

• The school should ensure that “disadvantaged pupils improve their attainment and progress throughout key stage 2,” as a gap in achievement persists in statutory assessments.
• The school should support all pupils to “engage in learning activities,” as current emotional regulation support sometimes causes pupils to “miss out on some learning.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”