Manston St James Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils' achievement is good. All groups of pupils make good progress and growing numbers are reaching the higher standards in English and mathematics.

This reflects the increasing success of the academy's work to support all pupils to do as well as they can. Teaching is good overall. There is some outstanding teaching of reading, writing and mathematics.

Pupils throughout the academy read to a high standard, and rightly consider reading to be a strength. Some outstanding teaching of phonics in the early years provision helps children to make rapid progress in their spelling of unfamiliar words. Disadvantaged pupils are achieving increasi...ngly well.

Any gaps that remain between their achievement and that of other pupils in the academy are being addressed and are closing rapidly. This is a happy school where pupils feel safe and know that they are very well cared for. Pupils are well behaved.

They enjoy trusting relationships with the adults in school. The principal has secured the commitment of all to ensuring that the academy becomes better still. The academy has strong and effective systems for checking the quality of teaching and its impact on the progress pupils are making.

Leaders are quick to identify any problems and, as a result, teaching is good overall. The governors have a clear understanding of the academy's strengths and relative weaknesses. Together with the trustees of LEAF Academy Trust, they are effective in holding the academy to account for the standards reached by all pupils.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching is not yet outstanding. Pupils' work is not always at the right level of challenge. It is too hard for some and too easy for others.

Pupils are not always clear about how to improve their work, including their handwriting and spelling.

Information about this school

The academy is larger than the average-sized primary school. Children in early years are taught in three full-time Reception classes.

Pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 are taught in two single-aged classes in each year group. Almost all pupils are White British. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium is below the national average.

The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average. The academy meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' progress and attainment in English and mathematics.

Manston St James Primary Academy converted to become an academy on 1 October 2012. When its predecessor school, Manston St James Church of England Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall. Manston St James Primary Academy is a member of the LEAF Academy Trust.

The academy works in partnership with David Young Community Academy and Rothwell Church of England Primary Academy. They share a Trust Board and a Chief Executive Officer. Each academy has local governance.

Before- and after-school provision, Garforth Kids Club at Manston, is run on the school site by external providers. This is inspected separately. The principal of Manston St James Primary Academy is deployed by the LEAF Academy Trust to support improvement in other schools.