Laceyfields Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Laceyfields is a happy school.

Pupils enjoy attending. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils understand the school's values.

They know what it means to be responsible, respectful, collaborative, resilient and creative. They know that these values help them to learn and to get along with each other. Outside, pupils enjoy playing together.

They describe playtimes as a 'happy time'. Mini leaders take great pride in preparing and running games for others. Pupils thank them and applaud them at the end of lunchtime.

Pupils do their best to live up to the school's rules. They know why it is important to be safe, be kind, work hard and ...be ready to learn. They understand the school's behaviour policy, including the sanctions of reminders, warnings, time out, time away and seeing the headteacher.

More importantly, they enjoy earning the positive points that are on offer. Pupils who need help to live up to the school's behavioural expectations are well supported. Staff skilfully cater for these pupils and keep them focused on their learning.

Pupils know that everyone should be treated equally. They know what fundamental British values are and why these are important in modern Britain.

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

Teaching pupils to read is a priority at the school.

Pupils learn the sounds that letters make from the start of the Reception Year. Children who attend the Nursery Year are prepared well for this. Sounds are taught in a logical order.

Staff make phonics lessons interactive and engaging. Pupils remember the sounds that they have been taught. Pupils' reading books are, on the whole, closely matched to the sounds that they know.

Over time, pupils develop positive attitudes to reading.

The school's curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It makes clear what pupils are expected to learn at each stage of their education.

It makes clear the precise content that pupils are expected to know and remember. In most subjects, pupils recall what they have learned with ease. In some subjects, the curriculum shows the skills that pupils are expected to master.

However, it does not make clear when. This means that teachers are left to make choices about the order in which skills are taught. As such, leaders cannot be sure that these are taught systematically nor in the most effective order.

Children get off to a good start in the early years. The activities on offer are well planned and purposeful. Staff help children to become curious and creative.

They are experts at helping children to build and extend their spoken vocabulary. Children respond positively to the well-established routines that are in place. Any who become upset or unhappy receive well-tailored support.

The recently appointed special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENCo) has ensured that support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is working well. Pupils' needs are identified accurately. The help put in place helps them to learn the curriculum.

Pupils with more complex SEND receive well-tailored support.

Pupils' personal development is well catered for. Pupils learn about a wide range of people and communities from around the world.

Regular 'relationship days' help pupils to get on with each other and to understand their own emotions. Pupils are eager to take on extra responsibilities. Monitor roles and the work of school parliamentarians are regarded highly.

The 'Djanogly dozen' ensures that pupils experience a wide range of activities over time.

The school's behaviour policy is consistently understood and applied. Teachers keep a record of when pupils receive 'time out'.

However, these records do not give an account of what happened. Additionally, leaders do not routinely check and evaluate these records. This means that they are unable to identify trends and patterns over time.

Inspectors saw that pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Those that need extra help to follow the school's rules receive well-tailored support. However, some pupils, parents, and carers say that behaviour is not good.

Some believe that the school's behaviour policy is not applied consistently.

Leaders and those responsible for governance know their school well. They have a clear vision for their school.

They have built a talented team of staff who share their ambition. Staff know that, in a child's education, 'every minute counts'. There is a systematic approach to training and quality assurance.

However, a significant proportion of parents would not recommend the school. There is more to do to ensure that the school has the full support of the community that it serves.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Keeping pupils safe is the school's highest priority. Staff know pupils well. They are alert to any changes in behaviour.

Staff record all concerns, even if they appear minor. Leaders routinely check on all the information held to look for any emerging patterns. Safeguarding records are meticulous.

Leaders act swiftly when pupils need help.

Staff know how to escalate concerns beyond the school should they need to. They keep up to date with safeguarding regulations and requirements.

Regular training and updates ensure that safeguarding procedures are consistently understood and applied.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the curriculum shows the skills that pupils are expected to master, but not when. This means that teachers are left to make choices about what is taught and when.

As such, leaders cannot be sure that disciplinary knowledge is being taught systematically or in the best order. Leaders should ensure that the skills that pupils learn within the curriculum are fully sequenced. ? Teachers keep a record of when pupils receive 'time out'.

However, these records are not detailed enough. They do not give an account of what happened. Additionally, leaders do not routinely check and evaluate these records.

This means that they are unable to identify trends and patterns over time. Leaders should ensure that all records of poor behaviour are recorded with sufficient detail and are routinely evaluated. ? Some pupils and parents say that behaviour is not good.

Some believe that the school's behaviour policy is not applied consistently. A significant proportion of parents would not recommend the school. Leaders should ensure that they engage further with pupils and parents to understand and address their concerns.