Beacon Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection.

The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Kaye Haywood. This school is part of Kernow Learning Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Clare Crowle, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Parker.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school values 'be brave, be brilliant, believe' radiate through this th...riving and inclusive school. Staff are relentless in their drive to ensure that pupils excel in everything that they do, especially those pupils who are disadvantaged.

Every second is made to count, and this is lived through the 'Shine Brightly' curriculum. As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well at Beacon Academy. They have a deep understanding of the curriculum and so they are very well prepared for their next stage of learning.

Pupils demonstrate highly positive attitudes in all that they do. They behave consistently well and take great pride in their work. Pupils across the school are polite, well-mannered and show high levels of respect for one another.

Staff build incredibly strong relationships with pupils to ensure that they feel safe and well looked after.

Pupils' wider development is exemplary. The school has meticulously planned opportunities that go way beyond the academic.

Through 'Ignite and Wonder' weeks, pupils are provided with a wealth of experiences. For example, 'Beacon Fest' supports pupils' transition to their next class, promoting a sense of belonging. This helps pupils to feel secure and excited about their next stage.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school, the trust and those responsible for governance strive for excellence for every pupil who attends. Governors rightly say that, at Beacon Academy, 'nothing is left to chance'. The school is aspirational for pupils from the start.

Through an ambitious curriculum, pupils build their knowledge across subjects sequentially, alongside developing their language. Published outcomes, which are well above the national average, demonstrate how well pupils learn the curriculum.

Reading is central to the curriculum.

The early stages of reading are interwoven across early years and the specially resourced provision, 'Cosmonauts'. This ensures that pupils develop secure communication and language before moving on to the more formal stages of learning to read. The school teaches phonics expertly to enable pupils to learn to read well.

The school is uncompromising in the checks it makes to identify and support any pupils who need extra help to keep up. A love of reading threads through the curriculum. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the rewards they gain for reading, such as wearing the 'golden hoodie' that recognises their reading achievements.

The school has a clear understanding of how well the curriculum is taught and uses this understanding to develop and refine subjects further. For example, staff benefit from regular training, including from trust experts. They are overwhelmingly positive about the support they receive to teach the curriculum to a high standard.

Throughout lessons, staff demonstrate their secure subject knowledge. They use questions carefully to help pupils to deepen their understanding and to share what they know. Through the development of oracy, staff support pupils to become confident speakers making links with what they have learned before.

Staff prioritise the use of subject-specific vocabulary, starting in the early years, where pictures alongside vocabulary help pupils to build their conceptual understanding. Across the school, pupils have a strong recall of the curriculum. For example, pupils describe rivers using technical vocabulary and apply their understanding when debating the advantages and disadvantages of national parks, such as Yellowstone.

The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to be included and to achieve well. It prioritises the early identification of any barriers to learning. Staff identify pupils' needs accurately to ensure that pupils with SEND benefit from individualised bespoke support.

This enables pupils to make accelerated progress across the curriculum due to the exceptional support they have in place. This includes pupils in 'Cosmonauts', who benefit from being taught by highly trained staff who meet their complex needs well.

The school underpins the personal development curriculum with experiences that broaden pupils' horizons.

Residentials play an integral role in exposing pupils to a range of places and opportunities. During these, pupils visit museums to enhance their knowledge of the curriculum as well as different places of worship to develop their understanding of religions and cultures. They also visit sporting venues and celebrate performing arts.

Pupils with SEND are given all the support they need to benefit from the school's offer, including those pupils in 'Cosmonauts'. Pupils understand and celebrate diversity. They appreciate the uniqueness of individuals and know the importance of treating each other equally.

Pupils demonstrate this during social times where they are inclusive of each other and treat the equipment they use with great respect. Because of this, the school is a very happy place to learn.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2019.