School report

Inspection of a good school: The

Aylesbury Vale Academy
Paradise Orchard, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP18 0WS

Inspection dates: 8 and 9 May 2024

Outcome

The Aylesbury Vale Academy continues to be a good school.

The Principal of this school is Gavin Gibson. This school is part of Aylesbury Vale Academy
Trust. The trust is overseen by a board of governors, chaired by Robin Scott.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils of all ages enjoy their time at school here. They are polite and courteous, in line
with the school’s values. In early years, children learn to take turns and share. At every
stage, pupils know that staff will listen and help them. Pupils’ successes and achievements
are celebrated. This helps to foster a strong sense of community throughout the school.

The school is ambitious for every pupil to learn and achieve. The curriculum gives pupils
cultural understanding and the skills of learning, as well as academic knowledge. As a
result, pupils are prepared well for the next stage in their educational journey. Pupils with
special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from effective support to help
them learn.

The school provides engaging and exciting experiences. For example, visiting a local farm
helps primary pupils to understand about different parts of plants. Guest speakers help
pupils to develop their curiosity and to explore potential careers. By making many of
these opportunities available to pupils of all ages, the school seeks to raise their
aspirations. Students in the sixth form develop their leadership skills through supporting
younger pupils, and acting as representatives of pupils across the school.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that builds pupils’ knowledge from early years
through to sixth form. For example, teachers use the same calculation methods at every
stage in mathematics. This helps pupils to apply their mathematical learning with
increasing skill and confidence as they move through the school. Similarly, teachers build
pupils’ vocabulary in a clear sequence. When introducing new terminology, teachers link it
with what pupils already know. This enables pupils to speak and write about scientific or
musical ideas with accuracy. In the secondary phase, leaders have considered how best to
respond to previous low rates of entry to the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of GCSE
subjects. By placing particular emphasis on the importance of modern foreign languages,
the EBacc entry level is now rising year on-year.

Assessment information is used effectively by teachers and leaders. They identify topics
that pupils need to revisit, and adapt lesson activities to address these. This process of
review also helps the school to identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND
effectively. In early years, staff pay close attention to how children interact with them and
one another. As a result, activities for play and learning help children to develop language
and number confidence.

Teachers give clear explanations and examples for pupils to follow. For example, in
mathematics they take complex ideas like calculating vectors, and break these down into
simple steps. As a result, pupils develop detailed knowledge of mathematical concepts.
Teachers use the school’s ‘taxonomy of learning’ to provide challenging tasks for all pupils.
In some subjects, there are times when some teachers do not check how much pupils
understand from the task they are working on. When this happens, some pupils do not
learn as effectively, leading to gaps in their learning.

Reading is recognised by the school as being a key priority. For pupils at the early stage of
learning to read, teaching of phonics is precise and effective. Weaker readers at every
stage benefit from targeted input that helps them to become more fluent. At times, the
books used by weaker readers do not align with what they can read on their own. This
can impede their development of confidence and fluency. In the secondary phase, the
tutor-led reading programme helps to broaden the range of books that pupils read. This
approach also supports pupils to develop the quality of their written work.

Pupils achieve well and perform well in national tests and examinations. In the primary
phase, pupils develop a strong foundation for later learning. GCSE outcomes represent
strong performance relative to pupils’ starting points. Although student numbers in sixth
form are small, they achieve highly on their courses, and leaders continue to expand the
breadth of subjects on offer.

The school’s strategic approach to attendance is helping to bring about sustained

improvement. Staff work closely with families to address the causes of persistent absence.
Pupils’ conduct supports the learning ethos of the school. Primary pupils are proud to be
kind and helpful to each other. Staff set clear boundaries for how pupils are expected to
behave. When pupils do not adhere to this, such as using derogatory language, staff take
effective actions to address this.

Pupils get to explore ethical questions and current affairs in ways suited to their age. They
become determined advocates for equality and inclusivity. Those who are part of the eco
council or student parliament are proud to serve their school. Leaders make sure that
extracurricular opportunities are fully accessible to disadvantaged pupils, including those
with SEND. The school’s careers education helps pupils to feel well informed about their
next steps. This provision contributes strongly to the culture of ambition within the school.

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8 and 9 May 2024 2
Staff feel positive about the school’s approach to workload. The cycle of assessment
meetings helps to sharpen teachers’ focus on improving pupils’ learning. Leaders and
governors prioritise making the school’s improvement sustainable. As a result, everyone
within the school is committed to achieving success for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

◼ In some subjects, teachers’ checks on what pupils know and can do are not as
systematic as they are in the strongest areas. When this happens, some pupils do not
learn the intended curriculum as strongly as they could. Leaders need to embed the
rigorous approach to checking pupils’ understanding seen in many areas of the school.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school
about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an
ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We
do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence
that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be
a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within
one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns
about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded
inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January
2019.

How can I feed back my views?

You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school, or to
find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View
when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their
inspection.

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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8 and 9 May 2024 3
In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet
the definition of children in need of help and protection; pupils receiving statutory local
authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used
for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school
meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority
care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route).

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School details

Unique reference number 135879

Local authority Buckinghamshire

Inspection number 10321933

Type of school All-through

School category Academy sponsor-led

Age range of pupils 3 to 18

Gender of pupils Mixed

Gender of pupils in sixth-form Mixed

provision
Number of pupils on the school roll 1,814

Of which, number on roll in the sixth 79

form
Appropriate authority The governing body

Chair of governing body Robin Scott

Principal Gavin Gibson

Website www.theacademy.me

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 January 2019, under section 5 of

the Education Act 2005

Information about this school

◼ Aylesbury Vale Academy is the only academy in the Aylesbury Vale Academy Trust.
◼ Aylesbury Vale Academy is a Church of England sponsor-led academy. The most recent
section 48 SIAMS inspection took place in July 2018. The next section 48 SIAMS
inspection is due to take place before July 2026.
◼ The school currently uses three registered alternative providers and nine unregistered
alternative providers.
◼ The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires
schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about
approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education

provision.

◼ This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic
began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have
taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.
◼ Inspectors met with school leaders, including the principal and senior leaders across all
phases of the school. The inspectors also met representatives from the governing
board.
◼ The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, early reading, science,
mathematics and music. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the
curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about
their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also discussed the
curriculum and provision for pupils with SEND.
◼ To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single
central record; took account of the views of leaders, governors, staff, parents and
pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive
culture around safeguarding that puts the pupils’ interests first.

Inspection team

Daniel Botting, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

Kimberley Kemp Ofsted Inspector

Shazia Akram His Majesty’s Inspector

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The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted)
regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young
people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and
inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family
Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher
training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education
and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council
children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding
and child protection.

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