Co-op Academy Portland

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 23 April 2025

Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming school. They benefit from the many opportunities that they receive. Pupils appreciate being part of an inclusive community where they can be themselves. They feel well cared for and safe. Pupils know that staff will help them if they have any worries. The school expects all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well. The school and the trust have taken effective action to ensure that these expectations are realised. For example, the school's clear focus on developing the right curriculum means that pupils currently at the school are achieving much better than they did in the past. Most pupils build their knowledge well from their starting points. The school ensures that children in the early years learn to behave well. This sets a solid foundation that is built on successfully as pupils progress from year to year. In classrooms, pupils are engaged, motivated and committed to their education. Pupils enjoy participating in a range of extra-curricular activities that have been carefully selected. They live out the school's values through activities such as visiting the local residential home to read stories with the older generation and doing litter picks on the beach. Pupils enjoy the responsibility that comes with being part of the school parliament and eco-group. They carry out their roles with pride and maturity.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, assessment strategies are not used well enough to check that pupils have remembered the knowledge they have been taught previously. This hinders teachers from deciding on the next steps in learning. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge well enough over time. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment techniques effectively so that gaps in pupils' knowledge are identified and addressed.
• Some pupils do not gain a secure grasp of basic writing skills, such as transcription, spelling and punctuation. This makes it difficult for them to succeed when they complete written tasks. The school should ensure that teachers enable pupils to gain the basic skills that they need to write fluently and successfully.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)