Cedar Children’s Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Good, strong leadership has secured improvements since the school opened as an academy in June 2016. Senior leaders have a clear vision for the school that is shared by all staff.

The focus on leadership of subjects other than English and mathematics is at an early stage. While subject leaders are developing the clarity of curriculum planning and assessment, standards are not equally high in all subjects. The teaching of phonics is effective.

Teachers plan engaging lessons that help pupils develop their reading skills. As a result, pupils read with interest and enjoyment. In the early years, children receive strong phonics teaching and ma...ke good progress from their starting points, preparing them well for the transition to key stage 1.

Outcomes for pupils in reading, writing and mathematics are strengthening. Lessons engage pupils and build relevant skills, knowledge and understanding. However, too few of the most able pupils achieve highly enough due to the work they are given lacking sufficient challenge.

Governors and trustees are knowledgeable about the school. They make regular visits to the school. While governors are effective in holding senior leaders to account, challenge for middle leaders has not been as strong.

Disadvantaged pupils are supported well. School leaders ensure that the funding for disadvantaged pupils is spent wisely and targets the needs of pupils. As a result, the difference between disadvantaged and other pupils nationally is diminishing.

Pupils behave well. School leaders have dramatically reduced the number of exclusions over the past three years because of high behaviour expectations across the school. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective.

Pupils make good progress from their starting points because of the support they receive.

Information about this school

Cedar Children's Academy converted to become an academy school on 1 July 2016. When its predecessor school, Cedar Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to require improvement.

Cedar Children's Academy is larger than the average-sized school, above the national average for primary schools. The headteacher was in post at the time of conversion. The academy is supported by a trust board whose members act as trustees of the academy, executive trust staff who have delegated powers to support the work of the trust board, a regional governing body who have delegated powers to support the work of the trust board and an academy advisory board as a body to provide stakeholder views and act as a critical friend for the academy.

The proportion of pupils with SEND is in line with the national average. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.