Forest Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 January 2023

Forest Academy is a welcoming place for pupils of all cultures and faiths. Pupils enjoy finding out and celebrating the diverse backgrounds of their friends. There is a friendly atmosphere around the school. Leaders and governors have high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have designed an ambitious curriculum which aims to provide pupils with high-quality education. Pupils achieve well overall, and in a range of subjects. Pupils feel safe and are happy. Staff have a positive working relationship with pupils, which reflects the school's culture of respect. Pupils are polite and considerate of others. They learn in an orderly and calm environment. In lessons, low-level disruption is not tolerated. Pupils reported that bullying is not common. When it occurs, leaders deal with it swiftly. Pupils behave well and socialise happily together. They feel supported and know who to speak with if they have concerns. Staff know pupils well. They have put in place a range of supportive programmes to promote pupils' well-being and mental health. Leaders use the personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme and careers education as the main pillars for pupils' personal development. Pupils participate in a range of extra-curricular clubs to develop their interests. These range from debate and cooking to basketball and badminton.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, teachers' checking of pupils' understanding is variable. When this happens, misconceptions are not routinely addressed and pupils do not develop a deep understanding of key concepts. Leaders should provide staff with training and guidance to strengthen their expertise in identifying and addressing misconceptions, and in turn, ensuring that pupils know more and remember more of their learning.
• While leaders have done much effective work in the strengthening of curriculum sequencing, some subjects are at an early stage of implementation and are not fully embedded. As a result, sometimes teaching does not help pupils to build securely on what they already know and can do. Leaders should support teachers to follow the planned curriculum thinking. This includes developing expertise in helping pupils to develop knowledge progressively through teaching and revisiting subject content in a logical, well-sequenced manner.

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