Gurney Pease Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils make good progress in English and mathematics from when they join the school to the end of Year 6.

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make a good start to their learning. Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those supported by the pupil premium make good progress due to the well-targeted support they receive. Management of special educational needs is a strength.

Pupils have very positive attitudes about their school where they feel safe. Teaching is good across the school with some that is outstanding. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils and effectively match work to their needs.
.../>The curriculum is matched accurately to the needs of the pupils. It is enhanced with many educational visits. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong throughout the school.

School leaders, managers and governors are focussed on raising the quality of teaching and pupils' attainment across the school. As a result, the school is improving. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching is not yet consistently good and outstanding.

The assessment of pupils' progress is not always used very well to identify what pupils need to do to improve their learning. As a result, work occasionally is not always set at the correct level. The behaviour of a small minority of pupils in lessons is not always managed firmly enough, leading to the pace of lessons slowing occasionally.

Marking does not always tell all pupils how to improve.

Information about this school

This school is smaller than the average primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well above average.

The pupil premium is additional funding supporting those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and for whom English is an additional language is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and supported at school action is above average.

Those supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. The school has just completed its first year as an academy and is part of an academy trust.

Gurney Pease Academy converted to be an academy in July 2012. When its predecessor school Gurney Pease Primary School was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good. The proportion of pupils entering or leaving the school mid-way through their primary education is above the national average.