The Flying High Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 January 2022

Pupils enjoy coming to Flying High Academy because they like to learn. They feel safe because they know that if they have any worries, they can tell an adult or pop a note in a box that the 'worry monster' sits on. Pupils know that adults will check the notes that are in the box under this soft toy and provide help for anyone who needs it. Leaders expect pupils to behave well and to achieve highly. Pupils move around school sensibly. They are respectful of adults and each other. Pupils work hard in their lessons. The peaceful music that can be heard around the school corridors contributes to the calm and purposeful atmosphere that characterises this school. Pupils say that bullying hardly ever happens at their school. They are confident that adults would deal with it if it did happen. Leaders' vision is summarised by the motto: 'The world came to my school today'. 'World' stands for: wisdom; opportunities; reading; legacy; and diversity. Leaders are determined that pupils will have the knowledge and experiences that they need so that they can play a full part in the world in which they live, and leave a legacy for future generations.

What the school should improve

• The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year's curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. In some subjects, leaders have set out in detail exactly what pupils must learn and remember. This is not the case in every subject. In these subjects, teachers cannot plan pupils' next steps of learning precisely enough. Leaders must ensure that all subjects are fully planned.
• Leaders have introduced a new approach to teaching phonics. Staff have had training and it is being implemented well. Leaders have made sure that the books that most pupils are given to read match the sounds that they have been learning. When this happens, pupils read the books fluently and this improves their confidence. Some pupils are not given books that are quite right for them. In these instances, pupils do not read as confidently or fluently as they might. Leaders must ensure that all pupils are given books to read that are just right for them.

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