Estcourt Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Estcourt Primary Academy is a truly exceptional place. Everyone has the highest ambitions for pupils' learning, behaviour and success.

These ambitions are well understood and realised. Pupils are proud and happy to attend this school. It is a place where difference is respected and celebrated.

There is a feeling of belonging to the 'Estcourt' family here. Pupils are taught to be polite and courteous, as well as confident and independent. They shake hands with visitors and wait politely, while listening to others speak.

Pupils and adults show great respect for each other. Behaviour is exemplary across the school.

The curriculum, for both academic and ...personal development, is exceptionally well considered.

The school ensures that all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), use every moment to learn effectively. Lessons are fun and interesting. Pupils strive to do their best.

The school's personal development curriculum is vibrant and extensive. During their time here, pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to explore their interests, talents or future careers. The 'Delta Stars' initiative gives pupils opportunities to take on roles of responsibility, such as being a school buddy.

Pupils try new challenges, such as ice skating, and develop their aspirations through visits to universities.

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

The school has created an environment that focuses on teaching pupils to be proud of their achievements, both academically and personally.

The curriculum, across all subjects, is highly ambitious.

The school, together with the trust, has ensured that the curriculum contains the knowledge that it wants pupils to remember. This carefully planned knowledge is taught progressively across the school, from Nursery through to Year 6. Connections are clear within sequences of learning, as well as across the wider curriculum.

For example, Year 1 pupils visit the coast as part of their geography fieldwork. This learning is then applied in a later year group as pupils learn about coastal erosion.

As many of the staff have been involved in developing the curriculum, they understand it extremely well.

Staff have strong subject knowledge, and they use common teaching approaches consistently. For example, all lessons begin with revisiting prior learning, before moving on to new ideas. Staff regularly check pupils' understanding.

This enables them to identify and address misconceptions quickly. Pupils who are finding learning difficult are spotted swiftly and supported effectively. Resources are used effectively to ensure that pupils with SEND can learn alongside their peers and achieve well.

Reading is central to all that happens at Estcourt. In phonics lessons, all staff follow the school's chosen programme consistently. Staff are highly skilled.

This enables them to provide effective support to help pupils to blend sounds together quickly as they read age-appropriate books. Any pupils who are finding reading difficult receive swift support. In key stage 2, the school's '3 ways of reading' approach enables pupils to hear reading being modelled by teachers, read alongside their peers and read independently.

They gain fluency and confidence through this approach.

Pupils in the early years get off to a superb start at Estcourt. Developing a sense of belonging to the school starts here, as children learn how to work and play together.

The environment is exceptionally inviting for both nursery and Reception children. Staff use it well and design exciting challenges that interest and engage the children. Promoting talk and supporting the development of vocabulary run through everything.

This ensures children are well prepared for their next stage of education.

The school's focus on supporting personal development is exceptional. Staff know the pupils well and encourage them to talk about and understand their emotions.

This ensures that pupils are ready to learn. Pupils show a mature understanding of important concepts such as online safety. They demonstrate empathy, inclusion and respect as they play and learn together.

Caring for others is central to learning in all areas.

The school enhances the taught curriculum with a series of well-planned enrichment opportunities. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about taking part in 'mini police' activities, where they learn about keeping safe in the local area, or baking for the annual Macmillan coffee morning.

The diverse intake of the school is celebrated through carefully chosen books to ensure that pupils can see themselves in their learning. Success is celebrated as pupils save 'points' for prizes or exchange them at the school 'swap shop'.

The school ensures that pupils understand the importance of attending school every day.

It is extremely proactive in supporting parents if pupils' attendance falls below its high expectations. This results in high rates of attendance across the school.

The school and the trust work extremely closely together.

There is a shared vision of excellence that is being realised in all areas. The staff value the continuous development opportunities they receive from the trust. They recognise the support the trust gives them to manage their workload.

Staff say they are listened to and valued. They are proud to work in this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.