Maiden Beech Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 February 2026

Pupils enjoy coming to school and learning. This is reflected in their regular attendance. The school's values of curious, kind and confident form the bedrock of Maiden Beech. Pupils exemplify these values in all that they do. For example, they talk about being curious when learning about the Mariana Trench and about other parts of the world. New leaders have acted quickly to identify that improvement is needed in some areas of the school. While the curriculum is designed well, it is not consistently taught as intended. This means pupils' knowledge of reading and writing does not reflect the full extent of the curriculum. There are times when assessment is not used well enough. Furthermore, pupils struggle to articulate their understanding because work to improve their word knowledge is in its infancy. Too many pupils do not reach the level expected in phonics by the end of Year 1. This means these pupils are not well prepared for their next stage. Leaders have introduced and prioritised changes that are starting to have a fruitful impact. The school reduces pupils’ barriers to learning through its effective approach to inclusion, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils feel happy and safe. They know caring adults around the school will help them if they have any worries. Pupils rise to staff's high expectations of behaviour. This starts in early years where the youngest children settle well, enabling them to be prepared for their educational journey. If bullying occurs, it is dealt with swiftly. Pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life. For example, they participate in exciting experiences. Professionals such as nurses, artists and firefighters are invited into school to talk about their careers. This enables pupils to think about how they can contribute to society.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that staff are trained effectively to check how well pupils have learned new knowledge and identify and address any misconceptions, including during phonics lessons. • Leaders should ensure that staff are trained effectively to teach the vocabulary that pupils need to know, so that they can talk readily and accurately about their learning. • Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to teach pupils how to form letters accurately and improve their writing, so that the quality of work in books improves and pupils learn to write fluently. • Leaders should ensure that staff receive effective training to teach the curriculum as intended, and check the impact of this work.

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