Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy

Overview

Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The report describes a school where pupils are “immensely proud” and benefit from “positive, caring relationships” with staff who know them well. Parents are “overwhelmingly positive,” valuing the high level of care and support provided.

Strengths

• Pupils display “highly positive attitudes towards their learning” and are motivated by teachers who make lessons interesting.
• The curriculum is “ambitious,” with reading at its heart; staff provide “effective support” for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Personal development is a strength, underpinned by school values and a “high-quality and well-designed enrichment offer” that promotes responsible citizenship.
• Attendance is high, and staff work closely with families and agencies to address absence.
• Staff feel “trusted and well supported,” with governors and the trust providing “effective challenge and support.”

Areas to improve

• In subjects with recently developed curriculum plans, teachers are “not yet clear of the most important knowledge pupils need to learn.”
• Consequently, some lessons do not give “appropriate time and attention to this content,” meaning pupils “do not learn as effectively as they could.”
• The school should continue developing these subjects to ensure they are “delivered to a consistently high standard.”

Safeguarding

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