Stewards Academy - Science Specialist, Harlow

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 May 2024

Pupils at Stewards Academy have frequent opportunities to increase their confidence and to widen their experiences and interests. There is a broad range of clubs, from rocket making to crochet. Pupils can take part in musical productions and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme. Pupils develop their leadership skills when they become prefects or join the school council. Pupils' experiences in lessons are not always as positive as they should be as the curriculum is not consistently taught well enough. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not always receive effective support in lessons. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, have healthy relationships and look after their own mental health. However, not all pupils respect each other's right to learn and to be treated with kindness. Occasionally, overly rough, unkind and inappropriate behaviour goes unchecked. This frustrates and worries pupils who want to do well. Pupils access a broad curriculum. Many pupils take a range of vocational courses in key stage 4, such as hospitality and catering. Pupils also learn about a range of careers and further education courses. This prepares them for the next stages in their education and employment.

What the school should improve

• The school does not always identify clearly enough the key knowledge that pupils need to know. As a result, lessons do not always help pupils to learn and remember more, and pupils do not achieve highly. The school should provide training for staff to ensure that curriculum plans are clear in all subjects.
• Lessons do not always meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEND. This is because staff do not always have sufficient knowledge to teach the curriculum well enough. The school should ensure that all staff have the training to provide all pupils with engaging, high-quality learning experiences.
• Staff do not consistently apply leaders' high expectations of behaviour. As a result, pupils are not clear about how to behave, and this sometimes leads to disruptive behaviour. The school should ensure that the behaviour policy is followed consistently by all staff.
• Some leaders do not analyse the impact of their actions effectively. As a result, they sometimes do not identify patterns and trends, and do not analyse the impact of their work on all pupils. This means that their plans are not always precise enough to bring about sustained improvement. The school should ensure that leaders are trained to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of the school's provision.

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