Lakeside Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Lakeside Primary Academy has high ambitions for what pupils learn and experience. The school has made purposeful changes across the curriculum.

These are effective. Some pupils arrive or leave the school part way through the academic year. This includes pupils that are new to the country.

The school ensures these pupils are well supported and settle in quickly. However, these pupils do not experience the school's curriculum over sustained periods of time. As a result, the school's published outcomes do not fully reflect pupils' achievement.

Pupils are safe and happy. They are caring and considerate towards each other. Pupils behave well in lessons and around ...the school.

They are well supported to manage their behaviour. Pupils reflect on how their actions affect others. This helps them to make good choices.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), take advantage of the wide range of extra-curricular clubs on offer. For example, pupils performed at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the trust choir. Such experiences have a positive impact on pupils' development and character.

One pupil, reflecting the views of many, stated that without these experiences they did not think they would be the person they are.

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

Reading is prioritised by the school. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme.

They receive frequent support and coaching. The school regularly checks what pupils can read. This provides staff with accurate information about what pupils understand.

If they fall behind, effective support enables pupils to catch up quickly. Reading books are well matched to pupils' phonics knowledge. This supports them to quickly become confident and fluent readers.

The school has thought carefully about what pupils should learn across the curriculum. The school has ensured that learning is well sequenced. Staff access appropriate training.

They have strong subject knowledge. This supports them in clearly explaining new information to pupils. Pupils revisit relevant prior learning in lessons.

This allows them to connect and build their knowledge. This is consistently implemented across the school. As a result, pupils talk with accurate understanding about a range of subjects.

This includes mathematics, history, physical education and music. However, at times, some pupils' attitude towards their learning is not as positive as it could be. Some pupils need to be reminded to engage in their learning.

The school ensures that they promptly and precisely identify any pupils with SEND. The school makes sure that they understand how to effectively support these pupils. Adaptations are made to the curriculum.

These are carefully personalised for each subject so that pupils with SEND succeed alongside their peers.

Interactions between staff and children in early years are nurturing. Staff pay particular attention to developing children's communication and language knowledge.

This is generally effective. The school works well with parents and engages them in their children's learning so that they can support their children at home. However, some activities in the school's outdoor provision are not precisely aligned to children's learning needs.

The means that children sometimes do not get the most out of learning in the outdoor area.

The school has considered the personal development curriculum carefully. Pupils learn how to become active citizens.

They understand responsibility. They talk passionately about recycling and how they can cut down on pollution. Pupils learn about fundamental British values.

They embed this understanding through things such as school council. As a result, they understand that they have a voice and a right to be heard. They have a deep understanding of democracy.

This is evident in discussions and debates, when pupils respectfully consider opposing views.

The school considers staff well-being. Staff collaborate with other schools from within and outside of the academy trust.

This includes researching ways to improve the curriculum. This empowers staff. Staff acknowledge and value this.

The school places a strong focus on attendance. It has effective systems in place to monitor when pupils are absent. An investment in staff provides the capacity to act on this information.

The school successfully works alongside parents to ensure pupils access school more often. As a result, pupils attend well.

Trustees and governors are actively involved in the school.

These leaders access appropriate training. They understand their role and fulfil their responsibilities. The trust has accurate systems of recording and reporting key information.

As a result, governors and trustees have a clear picture of the school. They use this knowledge to support the school to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some of the activities in the early years outdoor provision are not closely aligned to the children's learning needs. This means that children are not learning as much as they could. The school should ensure that activities match what the children need to learn next.

n At times, some pupils' attitude to learning is not as positive as it could be. This means that they are not learning as much as they could be in some areas of the curriculum. The school should ensure that these pupils engage more with the curriculum so that they learn more.