Edgar Wood Academy, located in Heywood, was inspected on November 21 and 22, 2023. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas such as the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, and leadership and management also receiving the same rating. The acting headteacher, Karen Hutley, leads the school, which is part of the Altus Education Partnership Trust, overseen by CEO Richard Ronksley and a board of trustees chaired by Deborah Ball.
Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, report feeling happy and safe at the academy, and they are well cared for by the staff. The trust and school maintain high expectations for academic achievement; however, some pupils do not perform to their potential. The curriculum is ambitious but inconsistently delivered, leading to uneven learning outcomes across various subjects.
The school has recently implemented a new behavior policy, and while most pupils adapt well to classroom routines, the effectiveness of behavior management systems is lacking. Some pupils continue to misbehave and disengage from learning. Despite these challenges, pupils enjoy participating in extracurricular activities, such as crocheting, writing, and debating, and they take pride in community projects, including sending cards to local elderly residents and fundraising for charities.
The school collaborates closely with the trust to ensure a broad and accessible curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND. In most subjects, the curriculum is well-structured to identify key knowledge and the order of content delivery. However, weaknesses in curriculum delivery hinder pupils' ability to build on prior knowledge effectively. In subjects where teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge, pupils typically achieve well, but in others, insufficient expertise leads to gaps in learning.
Assessment strategies are effectively employed in subjects where the curriculum is delivered well, allowing teachers to adapt their instruction based on pupils' understanding. Conversely, in subjects with less effective delivery, teachers struggle to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge. Staff are adept at identifying and responding to the needs of pupils with SEND, but the achievement of some of these pupils is still affected by weaknesses in curriculum delivery.
The school actively supports pupils with reading difficulties, helping them gain confidence and fluency. Pupils are encouraged to read widely, which enhances their enjoyment of reading. Most pupils exhibit politeness and respect, but a small number display persistent disruptive behavior, which occasionally disrupts the learning of others. Staff sometimes lack the necessary guidance and strategies to address these behavior issues effectively.
The program promoting pupils' wider development is strong, teaching them about fundamental British values and encouraging respect for diverse opinions and beliefs. Pupils learn self-care strategies for managing stress and engage in physical fitness activities. They also visit universities and colleges to explore future educational and employment opportunities, which helps raise their aspirations.
The local governing body and trustees are in the early stages of improving their engagement with the school. At times, they lack sufficient information to challenge the school effectively, which can delay necessary improvements. The school and trust are increasingly aware of the impact of policy changes on staff workload, and most staff appreciate the support they receive and enjoy working at the school.
The safeguarding arrangements at Edgar Wood Academy are effective. To improve, the school must ensure that the curriculum is delivered skillfully and effectively across all subjects, enabling pupils to build on their learning securely. Additionally, the school needs to develop effective behavior management systems to address disruptive behavior consistently. Finally, trustees and local governors should gather more information to hold the school accountable and facilitate swift improvements.
