Sawtry Junior Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has been through some difficult times over the last few years, but it is now improving once again. Before it became an academy, the school had several changes of headteacher and many changes of teachers. This made the school an unsettled and unhappy place.

All that has changed. The school now has secure and steady leadership. There are permanent teachers in every class.

Staff morale is high and pupils are happy.

Pupils behave well at Sawtry because they know what is expected of them. Pupils enjoy their breaktimes.

They have things to play with and staff help them to play games with each other successfully.Pupils feel safe at school. They k...now what bullying is and they told inspectors that it does not happen very often.

When bullying does happen, staff take it seriously and sort things out quickly.Leaders and staff want every pupil to do as well as they can. Since the school became an academy, results of the national assessments have got better.

By the time they reach the end of Year 6, pupils are ready for the next step in their educational journey.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and teachers have thought carefully about how best to help pupils learn. Leaders have made sure that teachers get the training they need to teach each subject well.

Teaching has improved and is now effective throughout the school. Pupils learn well, particularly in English, mathematics and science. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do as well as their classmates.

In all year groups, staff teach pupils how to discuss issues in a constructive way. As a result, the older pupils routinely say things like, 'I agree with you, and another point we might consider is..

.' Pupils learn that the point they make should build on what has gone before. By the time they reach Year 5, pupils discuss issues with maturity and are considerate of other people's feelings.

Teachers know exactly what to teach and how to teach it in mathematics, English and science. They follow the school's chosen approaches. Each class has a daily reading lesson.

It starts with pupils learning about words that they might not have come across before. For example, in Year 5, pupils learned the meaning of 'pacing', 'inherited' and 'cooed'. They then read a piece of text which includes these words.

The school's approach is working well. Pupils read fluently and competently, at a standard appropriate to their age.

Similarly, in mathematics, teachers follow well-thought-out plans.

Teachers follow the same approach throughout the school. Pupils now make much better progress in mathematics. They become quicker and more confident in using numbers.

They are able to use this fluency to help them to solve problems.The school is developing its curriculum and has made good progress in this area. All the subjects in the national curriculum are taught and pupils steadily build up their knowledge as they move from year to year.

Some subjects are better developed than others. In history, geography, art, design technology, computing and languages it is not completely clear what pupils should learn and remember in each year group. There is also work to do to make sure that different topics are taught in the most appropriate order.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. This means that pupils can get on with their learning without being disturbed. Pupils feel safe and happy at school.

Bullying does not happen very often. When it does, staff sort it out quickly. Pupils attend school regularly and on time.

Pupils learn to think about other people and the wider world. For example, pupils recently took part in a 'plastics project'. They thought about the impact that plastic has on the environment and what can be done about it.

Pupils develop empathy and compassion. For example, pupils make sandwiches for homeless people. They write labels showing what the sandwiches contain and who they are from.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have put appropriate safeguarding arrangements in place. For example, strong systems ensure that only suitable people are allowed to work with pupils in the school.

The school has a strong safeguarding culture. The safety and welfare of pupils is everyone's concern. All staff have regular safeguarding training.

As a result, they know the school's procedures well. Staff are alert to possible signs of neglect and abuse. They report their concerns to the school's designated safeguarding leads straightaway.

Leaders take prompt action, when necessary, to protect children, in response to concerns raised.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum is not fully developed. It is not yet sufficiently coherently planned in some subjects.

However, it is clear from leaders' actions to plan the curriculum, and teach staff to deliver it, that they are in the process of bringing this about. . In some subjects, planning is less well-developed than others.

Where this is the case, the knowledge and skills pupils are expected to develop, and when they should be learned, are not completely clear. The order that topics within subjects are taught in and the amount of time spent on them are also not fully clear. This is the case in history, geography, art, design technology, computing and languages.

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