Lacey Green Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school has high ambitions for pupils' academic success.

These aspirations extend to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The vast majority of pupils meet these high standards. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils enjoy learning and they appreciate the support that they receive from the staff.

Pupils, and children in the early years, enjoy strong friendships. They work and play happily alongside their peers.

Children in the early years are proud of their learning environment. Pupils across the school welcome visitors and show impeccable manners.

The school facilitates clubs and... activities to help develop pupils' talents and interests.

For example, pupils can participate in pottery, karate and sports clubs. The school ensures that there are a broad range on offer to enhance opportunities for pupils.

The school encourages older pupils to develop their sense of public duty and responsibility by providing them with various leadership opportunities.

For example, being head girl or head boy or being a sports ambassador.

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

The school has created a highly ambitious curriculum, which begins in the early years and ends in Year 6. Pupils learn curriculum subject content well, especially in reading, writing and mathematics.

In 2023, pupils' attainment and progress in these subjects were among the highest results nationally, when compared to other schools.

The school has identified the important information that pupils will learn. It has carefully mapped out the key knowledge for each year group in each subject.

In most subjects, teachers deliver subject content through well-thought-out lessons. These lessons build on pupils' prior understanding, so that the majority develop secure knowledge over time.

The school recently identified that pupils were not achieving as well as intended in a small number of subjects.

It took swift action and changed key aspects of the knowledge that pupils learn in these subjects. However, the school has not checked to make sure that the new learning is making a difference to pupils' achievement.

Teachers check on pupils' learning to identify any gaps or misunderstandings in their knowledge.

These gaps are then resolved quickly. However, this practice is not as secure in a small number of subjects. As a result, some gaps in pupils' knowledge are missed and their learning is occasionally disjointed.

At times, this assessment information does not enable the school to know how well pupils are learning the curriculum.The school places reading at the heart of all learning. Experiences such as author visits and golden tickets placed in library books motivate pupils to read.

Reading ambassadors act as positive role models for others by providing book recommendations. The school makes sure that pupils, and children in the early years, read regularly from a broad range of literature.

In the Reception Year, there is a sharp focus on ensuring that children start learning the phonics code straight away.

They quickly gain the necessary knowledge to read books that match the sounds that they know. Pupils in Year 1 continue to develop their phonics knowledge and, as a result, nearly all pupils meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. When pupils do not learn from the phonics programme as well as the school intends, they are quickly identified and receive tailored support from skilled staff.

The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly. It ensures that staff receive effective training to best support those pupils with additional needs. The school makes sure that pupils with SEND learn from the same curriculum as their peers.

This is often done through thoughtful adaptations to pupils' work, so that they can learn successfully. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

During lessons, pupils are immersed in their learning.

They understand the value of their education and thrive on developing their knowledge and skills. Children in the early years quickly learn routines. They are encouraged to develop their independence by taking responsibility for tidying away equipment and by looking after the cloakroom.

Pupils move around school calmly and sensibly, supported by prefects, who help to instil in others the school's high expectations of behaviour. Pupils are encouraged to support each other through roles, such as well-being ambassador.

The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

It does this through regular learning about fundamental British values and understanding the differences between people. Pupils are sometimes invited to share their own knowledge and experience of different cultures and religions with others. They are passionate about respecting everyone's right to be an individual.

Older pupils represent a voice for others through their membership in the school parliament.

Many parents and carers are extremely positive about the school and appreciate the high aspirations that it has for their children.

Trustees are well informed and ensure that the work that the school carries out has a positive impact on pupils.

Trustees ensure that staff are skilled in carrying out their roles. The school manages any changes carefully so as not to have a negative impact on staff's workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school is not checking how well the new learning, in a small number of subjects, is helping pupils to achieve. This means that it is not assured that the recent changes are making the intended difference to pupils' learning. The school should ensure that it evaluates the impact of recent changes to check how well the subjects are being delivered and understood.

• In a small number of subjects, the checks that the teachers carry out do not enable them to spot gaps in pupils' learning. It is also means that the school cannot be fully assured that the curriculum is helping pupils to achieve well. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively to spot misconceptions in pupils' learning.