Palace Fields Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The principal, governors and trustees have ensured that the school provides pupils with a good standard of education. The focused and effective leadership of the principal and the new senior leadership team has led to mammoth improvements across the school.

The inspirational new leader of early years has brought about significant improvements to this provision. The early years staff team ensure children are well prepared for Year 1. However, there are fewer opportunities for learning outdoors than there are in the classrooms.

Phonics is taught well. Younger pupils read, pronounce sounds, and write the letters that these sounds represent, ...with confidence. The behaviour of pupils is good.

Pupils are respectful towards each other. They have positive attitudes to learning and say that they feel safe. Leaders have implemented effective strategies to improve attendance and reduce persistent absences.

The vast majority of pupils enjoy coming to school. Relatively recent improvements have been made to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics, resulting in pupils' rapid progress. However, these are not fully embedded.

The quality of teaching has improved. It is now good. Gaps in pupils' knowledge, skills and understanding are being identified and activities planned to close these.

Pupils attending the resourced provision and those across the school with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress in a wide range of subjects. Leaders have implemented a new curriculum. This is raising standards across a range of subjects.

Music and performing arts are strengths of the school. Subjects in the wider curriculum such as geography and history are brought to life through trips and visits beyond the local community. However, the most able pupils do not routinely tackle work in these subjects with the level of challenge necessary to gain deeper understanding.

The vast majority of parents and carers speak positively about the raft of improvements made by the principal and leadership team. They told inspectors that 'a genuine feeling of positive change has been injected into the school'.

Information about this school

The school is part of The Heath Family (North West) multi-academy trust.

The school has a local governing body that reports to the multi-academy trust board of trustees. The school has a 10-place resourced provision that caters for disabled pupils and those with significant cognitive and learning needs. The school is an average-sized primary school.

The majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is well above average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is well above the national average.

The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average. A new principal was appointed in January 2018, having previously been an executive principal during the autumn term of 2017. Since then, there have been many changes to staffing including a new vice-principal, the formation of a new senior leadership team, a new leader of early years, a new SENCo and several new teachers.

Also at this postcode