Leeds West Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 15 October 2024

This is a happy and inclusive school. The school's values of care, commitment and community create an atmosphere of strong relationships in which pupils thrive. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Leaders have created a school where pupils can be themselves and feel valued as members of the school community. The school is calm and orderly. In lessons, pupils behave well and show respect to their teachers. Typically, pupils are motivated and interested. They are attentive and responsive and collaborate well to support each other's learning. Pupils are encouraged to participate in lessons. Teachers create a culture where pupils are allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. Pupils actively engage in extra-curricular clubs, such as debate club, climbing and football. The school organises a number of trips and visits, including excursions abroad, that help pupils to develop their understanding of the world around them. The school is ambitious for all of its pupils. Since the last inspection, changes made to the curriculum are leading to improvements in pupils' achievement.

What the school should improve

• Some teachers do not ensure that pupils' knowledge and understanding are secure before moving on to more complex concepts. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their deeper knowledge of topics. The school should provide teachers with the training and support that they need to identify complex knowledge more effectively.
• The school's attendance strategy is not securing sufficient improvement for too many pupils with SEND. This means that these pupils do not benefit from the good quality of education that their peers receive and do not achieve as well. The school should intensify its actions to increase the attendance of pupils with SEND.

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