Birley Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Good progress has been made since the previous inspection, largely due to the changes brought in by the new leadership team. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

They have excellent attitudes to their work. Pupils relate well to one another and to the adults in school. They say that they feel totally safe in school.

Pupils achieve well overall and make good progress from the time they start in Nursery to the end of Year 6. Their attainment in mathematics has improved rapidly and is above average. The quality of teaching has improved and is consistently good with some that is outstanding.

The good quality teaching is the major reason ...for the good progress made by pupils. The vice-principal [primary] (VPP) leads the primary phase very effectively. In the short time since her appointment, she has been the driving force behind many important changes in the school.

These have led to rapid improvements in the quality of teaching and pupils' achievement. The school provides a good curriculum for the pupils, which supports the good progress they make. Governance is good.

Governors challenge the school effectively. They are acutely aware of the school's strengths and where improvements need to be made. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The Early Years Foundation Stage has not yet been developed fully in order to provide a stimulating and challenging environment to support children's learning.

Pupils' attainment and progress in writing have not improved fast enough. Too few pupils reach above expected levels in writing.

Information about this school

This school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.

It is part of a hard federation, linked to the local community college. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. A small proportion of pupils are from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds.

Almost all pupils speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils supported by school action is broadly average. The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is broadly average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after.) In 2012, the school met the government's current floor standards that set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.

Following a period of instability since the previous inspection, the school has experienced significant changes in senior leadership. A new principal of the Birley Learning Community was appointed in September 2011 and a vice-principal with specific responsibility for the primary school was appointed in September 2012. Since the previous inspection, the age range of pupils attending the school has widened with the Early Years Foundation Stage now accepting children from the age of three years.