Macaulay Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Macaulay Primary Academy is a warm, supportive environment where staff and pupils enjoy positive relationships with each other. Pupils enjoy their lessons and say that teachers are friendly and kind. They are proud of their achievements and staff recognise and celebrate these.

Pupils behave well in lessons and are engaged in their learning. Break times are calm and positive. Pupils are kind and supportive to each other.

Bullying is rare and staff deal with it quickly if it occurs. Staff have high expectations for behaviour and reinforce these expectations by recognising positive behaviour. Children in the early years share, play and engage with each other positively.<...br/>
Pupils enjoy a wide range of opportunities as part of the 'Macaulay Pledges'. These help pupils to understand themselves, others and the world around them, and to develop important skills for their future. Pupils take on a range of leadership roles in school and are trusted with responsibility.

In the early years, children develop their language and communication skills quickly. Children are well supported in their personal, social and emotional development. They are happy and safe and enjoy their learning.

The school has strong links to its local community. Parents and families are closely involved in the life of the school.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils in the school.

They have a sharp focus on developing pupils' vocabulary, language and reading. Teachers have excellent knowledge of how to teach phonics and they do this very effectively from the early years. If any children have gaps in their phonics knowledge, these are quickly addressed.

As a result, most children quickly develop their ability to read fluently. Teachers develop pupils' vocabulary in all lessons. Staff successfully develop pupils' love of reading, and pupils enjoy a range of opportunities to read.

Staff in the early years use their expertise to rapidly develop children's language and communication.

The teaching of mathematics is also highly effective. Teachers introduce new concepts clearly.

They carefully check pupils' understanding and quickly address any gaps in pupils' knowledge. As a result, pupils develop secure mathematical knowledge. This begins in the early years, where children quickly develop their mathematical knowledge.

Pupils study a broad range of subjects. Leaders are ambitious about what pupils need to learn in other subjects. In most subjects, teachers are clear about what pupils need to know, to support them in their future learning.

Teachers focus their teaching and assessment on the most important content and concepts. In a small number of subjects, leaders and teachers are less clear about how to secure the most important prior knowledge for all pupils. In these subjects, assessment is less effective in identifying and quickly addressing important gaps and misconceptions.

Teachers use a range of methods to remove barriers to learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and this helps these pupils to access the same curriculum as other pupils.

Leaders place a high value on the personal development of all pupils. Pupils are taught how to lead healthy and active lives through physical education and personal, social and health education.

They are knowledgeable about healthy and unhealthy relationships. Children in the early years are taught how to eat healthily, look after themselves and enjoy positive relationships with others.

Leaders focus on broadening pupils' horizons, preparing them for life in modern Britain and ensuring they have high aspirations for the future.

Pupils are given useful and appropriate information about careers and education. They are given a wide range of opportunities to take on leadership roles within the academy, and pupils make the most of these opportunities. Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs and activities, and leaders have ensured that these wider opportunities are available to all pupils, for example by organising sporting competitions for pupils with physical disabilities.

Pupils with SEND participate fully in the range of opportunities the school offers. All pupils experience a range of trips and visits which are designed to enhance their experience of the school curriculum. Pupils learn about their local area, both in lessons and beyond the classroom, and this helps them to develop a positive sense of themselves and their locality.

Leaders maintain strong relationships and effective communication with parents. Parents are very positive about the school and recognise the quality of the education and support which their children receive. Leaders engage with staff and have made changes to their approach to reduce staff workload.

The multi-academy trust (MAT) and governing body are effective in identifying priorities for the school and supporting leaders to make continued improvements. Leaders have kept the best interests of pupils at the centre of their work and continue to focus on ensuring that every pupil achieves highly and is prepared for their future.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff in the school understand their responsibility for keeping children safe. Staff are knowledgeable about the risks which children might face. They are alert to any signs that children may be at risk, and act quickly to get children support when they need it.

Leaders ensure that pupils get the right support at all times, including through effective work with external agencies.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They trust staff in the school and know that they can report any concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, teachers are not always clear about the most important content and concepts which pupils need to learn securely in order to access future learning. As a result, teachers do not always focus on these aspects of subjects in their teaching or identify important gaps or misconceptions so that these can be addressed quickly. Leaders should ensure that teachers are confident in teaching and assessing pupils' knowledge of important content and concepts in all subjects.

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