Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Since opening the academy, the Principal, head of school, directors and school committee members have been exceptionally effective in creating an environment in which anything less than outstanding is not acceptable. Rapid improvement has been secured in all areas of the academy's work since it opened.

Inspection evidence shows improvement is set to continue. Children get off to an excellent start in the Nursery and Reception classes. They make outstanding progress in all areas of learning and are prepared exceptionally well to move to Year 1.

All pupils are making rapid progress and achieve exceptionally well. Because standards ...were low when the academy opened, attainment is still only as expected for pupils' ages, but standards are rising quickly. Teaching is of a consistent high quality across the academy.

Teachers set interesting and demanding tasks that inspire pupils to learn and which move learning on very quickly. Teachers constantly check on how well individual pupils are learning. They move pupils onto the next levels as soon as they are ready or provide immediate support for any who are in danger of falling behind.

Pupils behave extremely well at all times. They are very polite and courteous and show exceptional levels of care and consideration for each other. This creates an environment in which pupils feel safe and which supports outstanding learning.

Pupils are kept very safe at all times. They enjoy school and attendance has improved greatly so it is now above average. Regular checks on teaching by senior leaders ensure that high quality teaching is sustained throughout the school and pupils make the best possible progress.

Members of the Board of Directors and the School Committee keep very close contact with the academy. They know about its effectiveness very well through regular, detailed checks on pupils' achievements. They set aspirational targets for the work of senior leaders and hence for teachers' work.

They play a central role in planning for the academy's development and improvement.

Information about this school

Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy converted to become an academy school on 1 September 2013. When its predecessor school, English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be satisfactory overall.

The academy is a member of the Newman Catholic Collegiate, a multi academy company (MAC) consisting of eight Catholic primary schools and one Catholic secondary school. The school is a smaller than average-sized primary school. Children attend Nursery part time and Reception full time.

Almost all pupils are White British. None speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority) is above average.

The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs is above average. The small number of pupils in Year 6 means that it is not possible to comment on whether government's floor standards, the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics, have been met. There is a breakfast club before school each morning and after-school care.

These are managed by the governors and were included in the inspection. The Principal is also headteacher at St Mary's Catholic Academy, another member of the Newman Catholic Collegiate. He is a Local Leader of Education.

The Principal and Head of School were new to the academy when it opened. All teachers and three of the seven classroom support staff have joined the academy since opening. The school committee reformed and there is now a joint committee serving both Our Lady of Grace and St Mary's Catholic Academies.