Co-op Academy Stoke-On-Trent

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 May 2023

This is a school where staff work hard to help pupils become well-rounded young adults. Leaders set high expectations for what they want pupils to achieve and how they can broaden their horizons beyond the local area. Many pupils appreciate these opportunities and wear their school uniform with pride. Pupils generally behave well. In lessons, pupils are usually attentive and show a positive attitude to their learning. However, incidents of misbehaviour are not always handled consistently well by staff. At social times, pupils enjoy playing games outside or sitting talking with friends. Bullying can sometimes happen, but leaders deal with this quickly and decisively when it does occur. Pupils study a suitably broad and balanced range of subjects as part of the curriculum. Leaders have particularly focused their efforts since the COVID-19 pandemic on helping pupils to catch up with their reading. This is proving successful and is helping pupils to achieve well. Pupils benefit from many different wider opportunities. Several pupils take part in the Co- op young leaders programme and get involved with community activities, including supporting primary school pupils and local charity groups.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have not ensured that all staff implement the school's behaviour policy consistently well. Additionally, the number of pupils removed from lessons and who spend time in the school's isolation room remains high. This means that they miss too much of their learning in the classroom. Leaders should review their behaviour policy and ensure it is implemented consistently. They should also look to reduce the number of pupils who spend time out of lessons because of their behaviour.
• The number of pupils who choose to study MFL at key stage 4 is low. This means that the number of pupils completing the suite of subjects which makes up the English Baccalaureate remains below the government's national ambition. Leaders should continue to explore ways to increase the proportion of pupils who opt to study MFL at GCSE level.
• On a few occasions, pupils struggle to recall what they have previously been taught. This means that some pupils cannot connect their learning together or see how smaller parts of knowledge fit into larger ideas. Leaders should continue to help teachers develop strategies in the classroom to help pupils remember more of their learning over time.

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