Second Specialist Setting in Academy Chain Hit by Ofsted Inspection

April 1, 2022 Chopsy Baby

A second specialist Bristol setting in a Multi Academy Trust has seen Ofsted find its provision requiring improvement.

Knowle DGE Academy, which is part of the LEARN@ MAT academy trust, had an Ofsted inspection in February this year with the result of the inspection published today.

Ofsted inspectors found many positive qualities at the provision, including effective safeguarding. They praised the staff and leaders for the ‘deep understanding’ of the ‘complex needs and challenges’ the pupils face. They said staff got to know pupils ‘very well’ and worked hard to nurture pupils after their ‘negative experiences of education in the past’.

Pupils told inspectors that staff take bullying serious and sort it out quickly.

Nuturing pupils so they engaged in education was something inspectors found the school ‘rightly prides’ itself on.

In the parent Ofsted feedback survey, 72 per cent of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, with 73 per cent saying they would recommend the provision to another parent.

But despite its qualities, inspectors found that the curriculum is not challenging enough, the implementation is ‘inconsistent’ with expectations set ‘too low’.

They also found that because the expectations for behaviour and conduct are ‘not clear enough’, disruption or a lack of engagement is not challenged ‘consistently’.

The inspection findings means it is now ‘requiring improvement’ in two areas.

The current CEO of Learn@ MAT is Jen Southall, who joined the trust on 01 September 2021 after the first and former CEO retired.

Jen Southall is a former Ofsted inspector and conducted the 2019 Joint Send Inspection of Bristol City Council alongside the CQC.

Learn@ MAT has several specialist academies and two alternative provisions located across eight sites in and around Bristol, Bath, Somerset and Wiltshire.

Their academies are: KnowleDGE Academy, Lansdown Park, Stockwood, Bristol Lansdown Park Rush Hill, Notton House, Wiltshire St Matthias Park, Bristol The Sky Academy, Taunton and Soundwell Academy in South Gloucestershire.

The inspection was carried out by the same lead inspector, as the Lansdown Park Pupil Referral Unit, a setting which was found to be ‘inadequate’ in all four areas.

To read the full report: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50180580

To read more about the Lansdown Park Ofsted report