Mablethorpe Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The attainment of pupils at the end of Year 6 is rising due to a relentless focus on improving quality, from the Principal, other leaders and the academy sponsor. Actions to improve reading are very effective and current standards in all year groups are good.

Pupils from a wide range of backgrounds make good progress, including those in the speech and language unit or with special educational needs. Excellent use is made of additional government funding to support eligible pupils, so that they make good progress too. The vast majority of teaching is consistently good or better.

Teachers plan carefully to ensure that no learning time is w...asted and pupils know exactly what they are learning. Many teaching assistants are skilled and well deployed to help the progress of pupils. Pupils' behaviour strongly supports their learning; they are polite, friendly and cooperative.

Most pupils enjoy coming to school, and take pride and pleasure from their learning and progress. Attendance is steadily improving. The academy model of leadership, with a Principal who is supported by an executive Principal and strong, professional governance, is effective.

The Principal is able to focus the majority of her time on checking the quality of teaching and learning and she is well assisted by other leaders. The Early Years Foundation Stage provides an outstanding start for children joining the Nursery and Reception classes. These children make excellent progress.

It is not yet outstanding because : Pupils' progress in writing is not as strong as in other subjects. Not enough teaching is outstanding, and marking does not promote learning as well as it should. More could be done to promote stronger links between the school and parents and to improve the attendance of a minority.

Information about this school

Mablethorpe Primary Academy is a sponsored academy, which opened in September 2012. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was given a notice to improve. The sponsor Trust, Greenwood Academies Trust, is responsible for governance and statutory duties, and an advisory council provides non-statutory challenge and support.

An executive Principal, who works with a number of the sponsor's local academies, supports the Principal. There is extensive collaboration between the Greenwood academies in the locality to support wider learning, sporting competition and leadership and management in the academy. In this larger-than-average primary school, most pupils are White British.

A very small number of pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil-premium funding is well above average. This is additional government funding provided for pupils in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is well above average. The school has specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs.

A speech and language unit operates on the academy site. The unit is funded by the local authority and supports pupils from other local schools. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.