Ruskin Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 January 2023

Ruskin Academy is a school where pupils flourish. Pupils arrive promptly at school each day and their attendance is high. They engage readily with their peers, enjoy each other's company, and show everyone respect. Pupils are enthusiastic and their positive attitudes are infectious. One parent, whose comment was typical of many, said, 'My child often talks about how much they love school and learning.' Almost all pupils behave extremely well. Lessons are hardly ever disrupted. Pupils are adamant that bullying is rare. They say staff deal with any fall outs between pupils quickly. Staff award many more positive than negative behaviour points. Pupils strive to achieve 'gold', for modelling the school's values consistently. Pupils welcome and include everyone. One pupil reflected others' views when they said, 'Everyone knows we should treat people how we want to be treated.' Pupils are excited by the extensive range of trips and visits they experience. Most pupils enjoy attending after-school activities, including science, film, sports, games and slime clubs. The sports breakfast club helps some pupils get to school early each morning. Pupils like the fact that their work is interesting and hard at the same time. They learn to be resilient and independent learners.

What the school should improve

• A few pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read do not get the right support. Leaders do not check closely enough that the reading curriculum for these pupils is based on their knowledge of phonics and their ability to write. Support for these pupils to improve their reading is poorly planned and structured. These pupils do not become accurate and fluent readers as quickly as they should. Leaders must ensure that support for pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read is matched closely to these pupils' reading knowledge and skills. Leaders must make sure that staff who support these pupils with their reading have the necessary expertise to do so.
• In a small number of subjects, teachers do not check carefully enough that pupils have secured their knowledge before the learning moves on. When this happens, pupils' knowledge of key subject information is sometimes superficial, jumbled or inaccurate. Leaders need to ensure that teachers deliver the planned curriculum effectively, so that pupils have a strong foundation of subject knowledge before they move on to the next steps in their learning.

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