Monkshouse Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils make good progress because teaching is good.

Pupils who have English as an additional language and those in the speech and language unit gain in confidence because : they benefit from the considerable expertise of specialist teachers. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes are well prepared for Key Stage 1 because of good teaching. All staff teach phonics (the links between letters and sounds) exceptionally well.

Developing reading skills has a high profile in the school and pupils read well as a result. Pupils are keen to learn and do well. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good.

Pupils feel safe and w...ell looked after by staff. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher and staff work as an effective team and have eradicated previous weaknesses.

They regularly check on teaching and pupils' progress. Parents and carers are full of praise for the school and staff are extremely happy and positive about working here. Governors know how well the staff and pupils are performing through their regular visits to the school.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Planning for indoor and outdoor learning in the Nursery and Reception classes is not linked well enough and so children have too few opportunities when working outside to develop existing skills or learn new ones. A minority of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs in the main part of the school do not make the same good progress as others because tasks are not always matched closely to their needs and they do not have access to the kinds of modern technology that would help them improve.

Information about this school

The school is larger than the average-sized primary school, with some pupils travelling considerable distances to attend.

There is a specially resourced provision in the form of a speech and language unit at the school taking pupils from a wide area. Currently there are nine pupils in the unit. Some travel for an hour to attend this specialist unit.

Just over one in five pupils is from a minority ethnic background which is slightly below average but the proportion is increasing. A third of these have English as an additional language. The proportion in the Nursery this year is almost half.

Most children in the Nursery and Reception classes are in the early stages of learning to speak English. Almost all pupils are fluent in English by the time they move into Key Stage 2. Children attend the Nursery either in the morning or afternoon or in a two and half day block.

The proportion of pupils supported by additional government funding through the pupil premium is below average. In this school, it mostly applies to pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average.

The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. More pupils than usual join or leave the school during the school year.

There is a breakfast café available for pupils to use for half an hour before school