Blisland Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Blisland Primary Academy is a harmonious place to learn.

Pupils respond positively to the high expectations of staff. Staff know each pupil's needs and interests well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff utilise this to promote pupils' progress and wider development effectively.

As a result, pupils develop positive attitudes to learning and build strength of character.

The school has recently introduced a new behaviour policy. The policy is consistently applied.

Pupils recognise it helps them be ready to learn, respect others and keeps them safe. Lessons are calm and purposeful. Bullying is not an issue....r/>
Pupils attend well. They conduct themselves positively around the school. Very occasionally, some pupils need reminding to do their best.

However, this does not detract from the hard working, inclusive atmosphere at the school.

Pupils appreciate the range of ways they can follow their interests and talents. They enjoy the range of sporting clubs, trips and how the staff make learning interesting.

The school promotes leadership skills for pupils in a range of ways. For example, pupils can join the school council or become sports leaders. Pupils respond by contributing positively to the local community and beyond.

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

The trust and the school work together effectively to realise their ambition for pupils. They have utilised collaborative opportunities with other trust schools to develop the effectiveness of provision at Blisland Primary Academy. Some time ago, standards had slipped.

Effective support from the trust helped turn this around. This also ensured that recent changes in leadership did not slow, but increased momentum. Staff are highly committed and work diligently together to find ways to keep improving.

Consequently, pupils' learning, and experiences are getting better and better.

The school is developing a highly effective curriculum. The trust utilises the skills and experiences of staff from across its schools to ensure these plans meet the needs of this small, village school.

Teachers utilise this planning to promote pupils' learning across subjects effectively. They skilfully use strong subject knowledge across the curriculum. The early years provision gives children a flying start.

Pupils build well on this foundation as they move through the school. As a result, pupils, including those with SEND, learn securely and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

The school knows there is more to do.

They recognise that learning sequences in some subjects are overly focused on certain knowledge. This means that pupils remember parts of the National Curriculum better than others. For example, pupils remember what they have learned about the past and the order in which things happened in history.

However, they are much less clear about how to be an effective historian and use evidence to make judgements about the past.

Leaders give reading the highest priority. They have established a curriculum that ensures all pupils can learn and enjoy reading.

From the moment they start in the Nursery, children experience rich opportunities to learn language, including through sharing stories, songs and nursery rhymes. They build on this effectively as they move into Reception. Staff use assessment very well to ensure pupils learn their sounds systematically and securely.

Pupils get extra help if needed. This helps them to stay on track as they move through Key Stage 1. They take home books that are carefully matched to the sounds they know and promote a love of reading.

Consequently, pupils make very strong progress in their reading and learn to enjoy stories, books and poems.

Opportunities in the curriculum to promote pupils' personal development are plentiful and well used by teachers. The school's ethos is built on established positive relationships, knowing each individual and pupils taking ownership of their learning.

Collectively, this helps to ensure that pupils feel valued, empowered and safe. Their broader development benefits significantly. For example, pupils develop character and want to succeed for themselves.

Most parents are positive about the experiences their children have. They rightly believe their children achieve well. Most recognise that staff provide unique and targeted support for their children, including those with SEND.

However, some parents with SEND do not believe their children's needs are met effectively. SEND provision is effective. However, the school has not established effective ways to design provision alongside parents in the past.

This means that some parents of SEND pupils do not have the confidence in provision that they could.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some elements of curriculum planning are overly focused on specific elements of knowledge.

For example, pupils learn key facts in science, geography and history, but are less secure in knowing how to be a scientist, geographer or historian. Leaders should continue to refine and strengthen the curriculum so that pupils learn more about the discipline of each subject to secure the best outcomes across all subjects. ? Some parents of pupils with SEND are not confident about how their children's needs are met.

The school is inclusive and meets pupils' needs well. However, the school has not developed ways to design provision alongside parents well enough in the past. The school should look to improve how it plans provision for pupils with SEND with them and their parents, so that everyone pulls in the same direction.