Timberley Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 November 2023

Timberley is a welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils are kind and considerate of each other. They learn how to resolve conflict and restore positive relationships. There is a real warmth in the interactions between adults and pupils. The school's values, which include cooperation and thoughtfulness, permeate all aspects of school life. Pupils know that staff expect them to work hard and behave well. They meet these expectations. Lessons are characterised by good behaviour and pupils who are keen to engage with their learning tasks. Pupils take pride in the work they produce. Children develop a love of stories and books from the early years onwards. Pupils talk enthusiastically about reading and the numerous reading spaces they have access to, including the 'Starbooks' reading cafe. The school invests in helping pupils to become positive citizens. Pupils learn about the diversity of society, current affairs and social responsibility. They take on responsibilities eagerly within the school, for example as play leaders or belonging to the democratically-elected school council. Pupils enjoy the clubs and enrichment opportunities on offer. They enjoyed learning to swim in the 'pop-up' pool and spending time on the school farm, caring for the alpacas.

What the school should improve

• The school does not have a consistent approach to teaching writing, nor does it ensure that there are enough opportunities for pupils to practise their writing in other subjects. This means that pupils' writing skills do not develop as well as they should. The school should ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to learn and apply their writing skills confidently and securely in other relevant curriculum areas.
• The quality of teachers' checks that pupils have understood their learning is not consistently effective. As a result, sometimes gaps and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge go unnoticed and teaching is not adapted to address these. The school should ensure that all teachers carefully check that pupils have grasped the key learning and effectively make any necessary adaptations in response so pupils learn well.
• Too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This means they miss out on important learning and do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that parents appreciate the importance of attendance and its positive impact on pupils' learning so that all pupils attend regularly.

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