The Beech Academy

Overview

The Beech Academy continues to be a good school, maintaining an ethos that promotes "hard work, enthusiasm and friendship." It is described as a "calm and purposeful place to learn" where staff skilfully support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), particularly those with autism spectrum condition.

Strengths

• Staff "nurture and encourage pupils" effectively, fostering empathy and ensuring bullying is rare and well managed.
• The curriculum is "well planned and adapted" for each pathway, with leaders prioritising the development of social and personal skills.
• Teachers deliver lessons skilfully and check progress well, while pupils enjoy reading to the school’s therapy dog.
• Pupils are "very well prepared for the world beyond school" through the ‘steppingstones careers programme’ and sixth-form independence training.
• Staff feel the school is well managed and appreciate the training and support they receive from leaders.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure a "well-sequenced curriculum with the detailed knowledge pupils need to learn" is in place across all subjects, as some pupils do not achieve as well as they could due to vague planning.
• Leaders should evaluate and extend the range of enrichment activities available at lunchtime, as some pupils currently do not access a "sufficiently broad range" to fully develop their talents.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders ensuring staff are well trained and procedures for reporting concerns are clear and used by all.