Ark Franklin Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ark Franklin Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school to be proud of. Leaders and staff provide a high-quality education for all their pupils.

Parents and carers feel lucky to have such a good school in their local area. They value the care and attention given to their children.

The school is calm and orderly.

Pupils know how staff expect them to behave and follow the 'ARISE' values. Pupils look after each other. They told me that no one is ever left out or lonely.'

Peer mediators' help to sort out any friendship issues. Pupils know to tell a teacher if someone is being unkind. If there is any ...hint of bullying, staff deal with it straightaway.

Pupils learn a wide range of subjects from the early years to Year 6. The school offers much more than academic subjects. For example, pupils love the outdoor learning activities.

This gives them many memorable experiences, such as fire building. They use the bio-dome and large garden to grow vegetables and herbs for the school kitchen. The wide range of extra-curricular clubs offers something for everyone.

New pupils and parents feel welcomed into the school community. There are many fundraising events, such as the highly successful 'fork to fork' food festival.

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

Leaders expect all their pupils to meet high standards and have a well-rounded education.

They have achieved this. Leaders are not complacent though. They look for new and creative ways to make the school even better.

Leaders reviewed the curriculum two years ago. They used their research and expertise to design a broad and ambitious curriculum. Staff follow logical and structured plans.

Teachers are clear about what they are teaching, why they are teaching it and where it fits in the sequence of lessons. They make sure that pupils know and understand what they have learned the previous week, term or year. Once they are secure in this, pupils move on to new learning.

This is particularly effective in mathematics. Staff use 'maths meetings' to help pupils retain basic facts and knowledge. Leaders and staff adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

However, this is not as strong in areas other than English and mathematics.

Curriculum leaders support teaching staff well. They plan lessons together, model lessons and help with any gaps in subject knowledge.

Leaders are still developing the curriculum in art, music and design and technology. The plans are well laid out, but pupils do not have the same secure knowledge as they do in other subjects.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum.

Pupils learn to read from the start of Reception. Staff who teach phonics are well trained. They follow a structured programme and have a consistent approach.

Early readers are in teaching groups that match their needs and ability. Pupils who need extra help get the support they need to catch up. Pupils quickly develop into fluent readers.

As they progress through the school, pupils read increasingly complex texts. These cover a wide range of themes and genres. Leaders select books that spark pupils' interests and open them up to new ideas.

Pupils genuinely like to read. The new school library is enticing to pupils, with well-stocked shelves and cosy snugs. In the early years, children have their own mini version, which is very well used.

Vocabulary development is a big focus in all subjects. Pupils learn a set of words each week and use them in different contexts. Teachers reinforce these words in lessons across a range of subjects.

Children in Reception, for example, explained words such as crater and orbit from their learning about space. Older pupils use sophisticated language in their writing.

Pupils have lots of opportunities outside of the classroom.

They have regular trips to London's museums, parks, places of worship and art galleries. Leaders use funding so that every pupil has the same access to extra-curricular clubs. The school choir is very popular.

Pupils have the chance to perform locally and at the Barbican. Pupils enthusiastically take part in weekly singing assemblies.

Leaders have started to offer more sports opportunities, including local competitions.

Pupils have physical education (PE) lessons each week. However, classes have different amounts of time for these lessons. Pupils do not have the same opportunities to participate in PE lessons.

Pupils behave sensibly in lessons. There are very few disruptions. Pupils know the classroom routines and simply get on with their learning.

They help each other.

Leaders are mindful of staff well-being. Staff who spoke to us were all positive about leaders' efforts to reduce workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Pupils told us how safe they felt in school. They feel reassured by the security measures in place and vigilant staff supervision.

Pupils learn about personal safety in assemblies and personal, social, health and economic education. They know a lot about staying safe online. Circle time and classroom 'worry boxes' give pupils further opportunities to talk through any worries.

Leaders and staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding and their duty of care. They have regular staff training to keep them up to date. Staff know what to look out for and follow school procedures if they have any concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Some aspects of the curriculum, notably art, music and design and technology, are not as strong as other areas. The implementation does not always match the ambitious plans laid out by leaders. New curriculum leaders are at an early stage of taking on responsibility for these subjects.

They are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Senior leaders should continue to develop the leadership skills of this group of staff so that art, music, and design and technology are implemented at the same standard as other subjects. They need to ensure that these curriculum leaders have suitable training and time to carry out their roles even more effectively.

. Pupils with SEND do not always fully access the ambitious curriculum beyond English and mathematics. Pupils with SEND do well, but they could do even better.

Leaders should continue to work with staff to ensure that the standard of support for pupils with SEND is consistently high. . There is variation in the amount of time allocated to PE within most year groups.

Pupils do not have the same opportunities. Leaders need to review timetables and ensure that pupils have equally sufficient time for PE.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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2016.

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