Fairfield Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 October 2022

There is a warm and welcoming atmosphere at Fairfield Academy. Pupils have good manners and are genuinely interested in the well-being of others. Pupils are kind and considerate. They are socially aware and understand current issues such as the impact of the cost of living on some families. They feel that they have a moral duty to support others. For instance, they would like to see a reduction in the cost of school dinners and an increase in the number of charitable events that take place throughout the school year. Pupils are encouraged to try to resolve situations themselves if friends fall out. If they cannot, then staff help. If pupils have a worry or concern, they place their name into the 'talk box' and an adult quickly supports them. As a result, bullying rarely happens, and pupils feel safe. Leaders have high expectations for behaviour and learning across school. The whole school community understands and follows the behaviour policy. Pupils enjoy rewards and know the consequences if the three school rules, 'be safe, be responsible, be respectful', are not followed. This leads to pupils demonstrating positive behaviours in class and during social times.

What the school should improve

• Some pupils who are not secure with the sounds that they have learned are moving on too quickly to learn new sounds. They do not have sufficient opportunities to practise reading books that contain the sounds that they know. As a result, some pupils do not make as much progress in reading as they should. Leaders need to ensure that pupils secure their phonics knowledge before moving to the next set of sounds. They should have frequent opportunities to read a book that matches the sounds that they are learning aloud to an adult. This will enable pupils to quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers.
• Leaders have not reviewed their PSHE plans to take into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pupils' learning. Pupils have missed out on essential knowledge about relationships education. They are unsure of the different types of relationships that exist. Leaders must review their PSHE curriculum to identify gaps in pupils' learning. They must adapt the curriculum so pupils learn the knowledge that they have missed to ensure they are prepared for adult life.

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