Sandbach Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders and governors of the academy trust have created a happy, caring school where staff and pupils thrive and everyone feels valued. The headteacher, very well supported by the deputy headteacher, provides ambitious and determined leadership. This is characterised by a concern that every pupil should have the chance to be successful.

Leaders from the trust provide a high level of expertise and support that has a beneficial impact on improving the quality of teaching and the pupils' rate of progress. The pastoral support pupils receive is excellent and contributes strongly to their good personal development and well-being. Support for disadvanta...ged pupils and those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is very carefully planned and monitored.

As a result, these pupils make strong progress from their starting points, especially as they move through key stage 2. Pupils are making good progress in mathematics because of the strong focus leaders have placed on developing pupils' ability to reason and evaluate their work. Children get off to a good start in the early years.

They grow in confidence and make good progress. Pupils' behaviour in school is good. They are courteous and respectful to each other and to staff.

They are proud to belong to the school. Pupils feel safe and well cared for in school. Pupils are confident that adults will listen to their concerns and act upon them quickly.

Most teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and skilfully ask questions to help drive forward pupils' learning. However, this is not consistent in all classes. The well-developed skills the most able pupils demonstrate in English and mathematics are not replicated in some other subjects, such as history.

This is because the level of challenge is too low. Leaders' monitoring of teaching and learning in English and mathematics helps teachers reflect on their classroom practice and improve it. However, the monitoring of pupils' progress in some subjects other than English and mathematics is at a very early stage.

Information about this school

The school became part of the Aspire Educational Trust in March 2015, following the closure of the predecessor school. The trust has seven members, all of which are local schools in Cheshire East and Cheshire West. The headteachers sit on the executive board of the trust.

Sandbach Primary Academy is smaller than the average primary school. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average.

The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is above the national average. The school offers Nursery provision for two- and three-year-olds, as well as a Reception class. The school did not meet the government's current floor standards in 2016, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.