Aston Academy, located in Swallownest, Sheffield, underwent an inspection on December 5 and 6, 2023, and received an overall effectiveness rating of Requires Improvement. The quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management were all rated as Requires Improvement, while the sixth-form provision was rated as Good. The principal, Afshah Saeed, leads the school, which is part of the Aston Community Education Trust, overseen by CEO Rebecca Scutt and a board of trustees chaired by John Barton.
The school offers a broad curriculum that is well-planned, but the effectiveness of learning varies across subjects. Recent strategies have been introduced to enhance educational quality, showing positive effects, yet inconsistencies in teaching methods hinder some pupils' learning experiences. While pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified, the support they receive is inconsistent, leading to varied satisfaction levels among students.
Pupils have access to a variety of extracurricular activities, including clubs for football, science, ukulele, creative writing, and art. Sixth-form students play an active leadership role and maintain good relationships with teachers. However, behavior outside of lessons is a concern, with some pupils not adhering to the school's values, leading to instances of bullying and persistent absenteeism among a minority of students.
The school emphasizes online safety and awareness of local dangers, such as those posed by a nearby reservoir. Leaders from the multi-academy trust have a clear strategy for improvement and are working to strengthen community relationships. The curriculum is ambitious, preparing pupils for future education and employment, with strong subject knowledge evident among teachers. Effective assessment strategies are employed, but there are instances where teaching does not meet the diverse needs of all pupils, resulting in some not achieving their potential.
The school has prioritized reading through initiatives like the Everyone Reads in Class strategy and regular assessments of reading age. However, the impact of these new strategies is still being evaluated. A new behavior system has been implemented, which most staff and pupils feel has improved classroom behavior, although challenges remain with some pupils not staying on task and inconsistent behavior outside lessons.
Attendance is another area needing attention, as some pupils do not attend regularly. The school has initiated strategies to improve attendance, but a sharper focus on data trends is necessary for effective targeting. Personal development programs are well-structured, covering essential topics such as healthy relationships and British values, though the inconsistency in teaching these subjects means some pupils lack a deeper understanding.
Leadership has introduced several strategies to enhance the school environment, with the trust investing in resources and staff expertise. While many changes are positively impacting the school, building relationships with the community remains a priority. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, ensuring pupil safety and well-being.
To improve, the school must ensure that teaching is consistently adapted to meet the diverse needs of all pupils, fully embed new processes for supporting SEND students, and ensure behavioral expectations are uniformly applied. Attendance strategies need to be precisely targeted to address persistent absenteeism, and monitoring processes should be established to track the impact of new initiatives effectively. Overall, while there are areas of strength, significant work is needed to elevate the school's performance to a higher standard.
