George Dixon Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 December 2024

Pupils chat happily as they move around the bustling corridors to the 'sound of the week'. They told inspectors that each week, they learn about the heritage of a piece of music as a celebration of the differences between people. Pupils of all ages, including sixth-form students, mix well together. The school is passionate about ensuring that pupils develop into confident young people, fully prepared for life in modern Britain. The wider curriculum is underpinned by a strong sense of equality and diversity. From articles in 'The Dixonian' to the eclectic range of visiting speakers, the school is deeply committed to ensuring that pupils learn the importance of tolerance and acceptance, irrespective of their faith, culture or background. Most pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. They are respectful of the environment and of staff. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. The school has taken judicious steps to increase the ambition in the curriculum. Staff have raised their expectations for all pupils' success, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are learning more deeply than they have in the past. Nevertheless, it is too early to see the impact of this work on pupils' achievement. By the end of key stage 4, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. In contrast, students in the sixth form achieve well.

What the school should improve

• Teachers do not use the school's assessment systems consistently well. Some teachers do not identify pupils' misconceptions, while others move on to new learning before pupils are ready. Some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge as a result. The school should ensure that teachers are suitably equipped to identify and remedy gaps in pupils' learning before introducing new knowledge.
• Some older pupils have gaps in their reading knowledge. This hinders how well they access the wider curriculum. The school should ensure that these pupils are supported to remedy the gaps in their reading knowledge so that they can be fully prepared for the next stage of their education.
• The school does not have sufficient oversight of the impact of some aspects of its work, including the quality of education that pupils receive. This makes it difficult for the school to identify what is working well and what needs improving. The school should ensure that there are suitable processes in place to evaluate the impact of the quality of education that it provides.
• There are a few pupils whose behaviour sometimes falls short of the school's high expectations. On occasion, this behaviour disrupts these pupils' learning and undermines the school's vision for equality. The school should ensure that these pupils are supported to improve their behaviour over time.

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