Unity Academy Blackpool

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 December 2024

The curriculum at Unity Academy does not help pupils from Year 1 through to Year 11 to build the knowledge they need to achieve well. This is especially true for disadvantaged pupils. While the school has suitable ambitions for pupils' achievement, these are not currently realised. There are considerable weaknesses in how well teachers deliver the curriculum. In contrast, most children in the early years benefit from a stronger curriculum. They make a positive start to their time at the school. Most pupils are polite and respectful. However, some pupils do not uphold the expectations the school has of their conduct. At times, the behaviour of some pupils prevents others from learning all that they should. Pupils are typically happy at school. They enjoy the respectful relationships they have with staff, who care for them well. Many pupils make the most of the wide range of clubs available to them. For example, pupils participate in sports, art and music. Pupils appreciate trips to the theatre and residential visits to take part in outdoor and adventurous activities. Pupils learn to make a positive contribution to their community. For example, they raise money for local charities.

What the school should improve

• Trustees and members of the local governing body have not held the school to account for the decline in the quality of education pupils receive. They have acted too slowly to secure much-needed improvements. As a result, pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, from Years 1 to 11 do not achieve well. Those responsible for governance must develop a detailed oversight of the performance of the school and secure rapid improvements to the quality of education.
• The delivery of the curriculum is weak. The activities staff design to teach the curriculum do not help pupils develop sufficient depth of knowledge about the subjects they study. This prevents pupils, including those with SEND, from achieving well. The school should ensure that staff are equipped to deliver the curriculum successfully so pupils can build on what they know and deepen their learning over time.
• Staff are not quick enough to rectify gaps and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge. This means that pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. This hinders their progress through the curriculum. The school should ensure that staff address pupils' misunderstandings in a timely manner so pupils build their knowledge securely over time.
• In some lessons, pupils do not demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. When this happens, the behaviour of these pupils hinders the learning of others. The school should provide these pupils with the support they need so they are motivated by their studies and achieve well. HMCI strongly recommends that the school does not seek to appoint early career teachers. The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be considered again during any monitoring inspection we carry out.

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