Forest Academy, located in Shirley, Croydon, Surrey, has undergone a recent inspection that highlights its overall effectiveness as good. The inspection took place on February 8 and 9, 2022, and the school has shown significant improvement since its previous inspection, which rated it as requiring improvement. The quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision have all been rated as good.
Pupils at Forest Academy express a strong sense of safety and happiness within the school environment. They enjoy their learning experiences, which are enhanced by exciting activities planned by the staff. For instance, Year 6 pupils recently participated in a two-day visit to a working farm, which helped them develop collaborative skills and understand the world around them. The school fosters a supportive atmosphere where pupils behave well and assist each other during challenges, both in the classroom and on the playground. Although pupils are aware of what bullying is, they report that it is rare in their school, and they feel confident in reporting any incidents to adults.
The curriculum at Forest Academy is designed to be meaningful and relevant to the pupils. It incorporates core knowledge from the national curriculum while exploring global themes such as power and governance. Staff maintain high expectations for all pupils, encouraging the development of essential character skills like integrity and wonder. This approach has resulted in pupils producing high-quality work. Additionally, pupils have numerous opportunities to take on leadership roles within the school, such as participating in the junior leadership team and serving as playground and reading ambassadors.
Leaders have made significant strides in enhancing the curriculum, ensuring it builds knowledge logically and connects to local and global contexts. For example, Year 6 pupils learn about the civil rights movement and connect it to contemporary protests. Reading is prioritized, with pupils starting phonics education in the Reception Year. Daily phonics masterclass sessions are held to support pupils who need to catch up, positively impacting their phonics knowledge. While most staff are well-trained in the new phonics program, a few would benefit from additional training.
The reading curriculum has been overhauled to include daily whole-class reading sessions that focus on developing pupils' speaking and understanding skills. Teachers model effective communication strategies, enabling pupils to articulate their learning with clarity. In mathematics, pupils demonstrate confidence and support each other in understanding concepts. The structured daily mathematics sessions in the Reception class help children build on their previous learning effectively.
Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are successfully integrated into the curriculum, with teachers adapting lessons to meet their needs. The school also emphasizes the importance of understanding various religions and promotes physical and mental health awareness through diverse texts that reflect the community's diversity.
The school environment is nurturing, benefiting both pupils and staff. Leaders support professional development and collaboration among staff, which helps manage workloads. However, some middle leaders are new and less experienced, and senior leaders recognize the need to support them to ensure consistent curriculum delivery.
The safeguarding arrangements at Forest Academy are effective, with well-trained staff who understand the risks pupils may face. Pupils are educated on how to keep themselves safe, both online and offline. Overall, while the school has made commendable progress, there are areas for improvement, particularly in ensuring that pupils consistently retain key knowledge to support their future learning.
