Anglesey Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy spending time at this school.

Pupils feel safe in school because they are well cared for by all staff. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, for example when using the internet. Pupils are keen to help and support each other.

One pupil, echoing the views of others, told an inspector, 'We help each other through the rough times.'

Leaders and teachers have high expectations for everyone at school. Teachers provide support to any pupils who struggle with challenging tasks.

This helps them to become confident and successful. Pupils enjoy learning because it is interesting and exciting. For example, pupils wrote high-...quality poems after working with the poet Matt Abbott.

Pupils behave well in lessons and as they move around the school. They say bullying incidents are rare. Pupils agree that staff quickly deal with any bullying problems

Pupils speak with enthusiasm about their enjoyment of attending a wide range of clubs after school.

These range from archery and gardening to music and drama. This is a school where pupils thrive. Leaders work hard to ensure that pupils have opportunities to develop their interests and talents.

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

The new leadership team have secured improvements in the quality of education. They are ambitious for all pupils to learn as well as they can. Pupils' outcomes in English and mathematics are rising.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is well sequenced. Pupils now know more and remember more in many subjects. For example, in music pupils learn about different percussion instruments and how to play them.

They build upon existing knowledge and skills so that they play more complicated rhythms. In some subjects, including history, the curriculum is less well organised. This is because subject leaders have not planned the sequence of what pupils should learn well enough.

Work to improve this is under way.

Leaders make sure that reading is a top priority. The teaching of phonics is effective.

It is well organised and builds on what pupils already know. Teachers accurately identify pupils who begin to fall behind. They provide extra help so that these pupils can catch up.

Pupils read books that are well matched to their reading ability. Each week they take two reading books home. This includes a book chosen to read for pleasure from the well-stocked school library.

As pupils progress through school they develop the skills they need to show that they have understood what they have read. Teachers ensure that the books they read aloud in class ignite pupils' imagination and interest. There are lots of opportunities for pupils to discuss new vocabulary and to talk about what they have read.

All staff expect pupils to behave well in lessons and during social times. Pupils work hard. They are respectful towards each other and visitors.

There are signs that attendance is improving. At the moment the number of pupils who are regularly absent remains high. Leaders know there is more work to do to address this.

The school's aims are express, create, strive and connect. Leaders want pupils to grow in confidence, resilience and independence. Pupils' personal development is well supported.

Pupils are proud to be on the school council. This recently elected body has high hopes for making many improvements during its term of office.

Staff meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well.

Leaders work with several external agencies to ensure that this group of pupils receive the right support. As a result, this group of pupils make good progress.

Children get off to a good start in the early years.

They behave well and get on well with each other. This is a sociable early years setting. Parents work well with teachers to ensure that children quickly settle at school.

Staff have high expectations of the children and what they can learn. Early reading skills are well taught. Children listen with interest to teachers reading stories which promote enjoyment.

The order of learning in the curriculum supports children well in the early years. As a result, children are well prepared for Year 1.

Staff and parents have positive relationships.

This further supports how well pupils learn. Governors check that school leaders are doing as much as possible to further improve the quality of education. Leaders and the trust work well together to improve standards at the school.

The trust has provided training which has transformed teaching. Leaders respond effectively to any concerns about workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff receive up-to-date safeguarding training. All staff know what to do when there are any concerns about a pupil's welfare. The designated safeguarding leader takes appropriate action to ensure that pupils who are vulnerable are well supported.

Governors receive regular updates on safeguarding at the school. Leaders make sure that the right checks are carried out on staff before they start work at the school.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

For example, they learn about how to look after themselves when using the internet. They also learn about how to avoid unsafe situations.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have ensured the curriculum plans in core subjects are well sequenced and planned.

In some foundation subjects, such as history, these plans are not so well developed. Leaders should ensure that plans for all subjects are sequenced effectively. .

The number of pupils regularly absent from school has reduced since the previous inspection. However, the proportion of pupils who are regularly absent remains high. Leaders should continue with their work to reduce this further.