Hamilton Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher and deputy headteachers have successfully improved the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school. Consequently, pupils make good progress in all areas of the curriculum at key stage 1 and in mathematics and reading at key stage 2.

Governors have a strong understanding of the effectiveness of the school. Their work complements the school's improvement priorities. Safeguarding is a strength of the school.

Leaders and staff ensure the physical and emotional well-being of all pupils. As a result, pupils are happy and enjoy learning. Pupils enjoy reading in all areas of the curriculum.

Pupils read ...a broad range of high-quality texts and articulate their ideas about books very well. Pupils develop strong mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding. They are able to apply their understanding to a range of problems.

Pupils study a broad, balanced and creative curriculum. Pupils develop into kind, tolerant and polite citizens. Provision in the early years is particularly strong.

Staff have high expectations of children and provide a very good breadth of opportunities to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Pupils develop strong skills in physical education (PE). Pupils learn how to live healthy lives very well.

Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities make good progress in most areas of the curriculum. The teaching of phonics is effective. As a result, the proportion of pupils reaching the national standard in the phonics screening check has been consistently in line with the national average for the last few years.

Although disadvantaged pupils are making better progress across the curriculum than in the past, it is not strong enough to ensure that they attain at least in line with other pupils nationally. Pupils do not make strong progress or attain well in writing at key stage 2. Attendance for disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.

A few pupils are persistently absent. This has an adverse impact on their achievement.

Information about this school

The school is larger than the average primary school.

It operates on two sites. The Priory Road site caters for children in Nursery and Reception and pupils in Years 3 and 4. The Hampden Road site caters for pupils in Years 1, 2, 5 and 6.

The school gained academy status in April 2012. The proportion of White British pupils is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.

The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported by pupil premium funding is in line with the national average.