Godmanchester Community Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The headteacher provides strong leadership and successfully promotes pupils' learning. The school fulfils its aim of high quality education for all.

Pupils' achievement is good and improving. Attainment is on course to be above average. Pupils' progress is consistently good and for some it is outstanding.

The teaching and progress of pupils in reading and mathematics are particular strengths. Teaching is typically good with some that is outstanding. Throughout the school, pupils are encouraged to think about their work and try to improve it themselves.

This underpins their excellent attitudes to learning. Extra help for students... who need it is expertly planned. These pupils making outstanding progress.

Teachers are generally supported well by committed teaching assistants. Pupils' behaviour and relationships are outstanding. They feel very safe and there is clear, mutual respect for other pupils and adults.

Governors and senior staff have high expectations. They support the headteacher well in checking and improving the quality of teaching. This has been successful in managing staff change and is bringing rapid improvement in pupils' achievement.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Not enough teaching is as yet outstanding. Teachers sometimes talk for too long and this slows pupils' progress. Teachers do not always make it clear what pupils are learning or why they are learning it.

Teachers do not consistently challenge the more-able pupils. The other adults who support pupils learning do not consistently develop the pupils' language and communication skills.

Information about this school

Godmanchester Primary School converted to become an academy in April 2012.

When its predecessor school, also known as Godmanchester Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is average, as is the number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who are supported through the pupil premium is below average.

This extra government money is provided to the school to help certain groups. In this school it currently applies only to pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is above average, but the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. There have been a number of changes of staff at all levels, including a new headteacher, who joined the school in September 2012. There is a children's centre on the same site as the school, but this is not run by the governing body.

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