Shaw Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is a good school. There is high morale among staff and pupils are proud to belong to the school community. One parent commented that 'the school has really improved over the last year with the appointment of the headteacher and deputy head….

The changes are obvious already.' From very low starting points when they enter school, children make good progress by the end of Early Years Foundation Stage, though their attainment remains below average. Pupils continue to make good progress throughout school and, at the end of Key Stage 2, their attainment is broadly average.

It is better in mathematics than in English due to pupils' relatively weaker literacy skills. Pupils who have special educ...ational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. All groups of pupils represented in the school, including boys and girls, those entitled to free school meals and those with minority ethnic heritage, achieve well.

Pupils thoroughly enjoy school. One parent/carer commented that her child would 'come at the weekends if he could'. Pupils feel extremely safe and have a good understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe.

Behaviour is good in lessons, pupils are cooperative and there is a busy and harmonious ethos throughout the school. Pupils make good contributions to the school community. Attendance is average.

Some classes achieve very high levels of attendance, but despite the school's best efforts, the poor attendance of some pupils limits their achievement and compromises their capacity for future well-being. Pupils are very anxious to learn in lessons and persevere well because the curriculum is relevant and they are well supported. In the best lessons, pupils of all abilities make rapid progress because they understand the relevance of the learning, and have a clear understanding of what to do and how to do it.

In some lessons, opportunities are missed to check all pupils' understanding and to tailor future planning accordingly. Marking in pupils' books often helps pupils to understand next steps and how to improve, but this is not always the case. The curriculum is integrated and relevant and very well-augmented by exciting and over-subscribed extra-curricular activities.

Nevertheless, the policy on literacy does not provide a sufficiently clear framework to support teachers. Pupils' progress is carefully monitored and gaps in their learning are promptly addressed through well-selected interventions. Pupils' individual needs are sensitively met through a good range of outside agencies.

Excellent provision for family learning helps pupils and their families to deal with issues such as conflict management. Good leadership and management by the headteacher and deputy headteacher have led to a rapid improvement in outcomes for pupils. Excellent analysis of data and good monitoring of provision have led to an accurate identification of priorities.

The school has, therefore, good capacity for improvement. The new appointments made recently have strengthened the school's leadership team but their monitoring role is not yet fully developed. The governing body has a strategic approach and supports and challenges the school well.

Safeguarding procedures are very well understood and executed at all levels. Although links with parents and carers have been improved, some parents and carers are not fully aware of the limits placed on children's achievement by their non-attendance. The school's plans for promoting community cohesion are, as yet, not fully implemented.

Information about the school

In this larger–than-average primary school, most of the pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils with English as an additional language is lower than average. The proportion of pupils known to be entitled to free school meals is twice the national average.

There is a higher-than-average number of pupils with special educational needs and/or difficulties, and there are five looked after children. After one year in an acting capacity, the post of headteacher was made substantive at the beginning of the current academic year. The school is part of a soft collaboration with a neighbouring primary school.

There is a breakfast club and a range of after-school clubs. The school has a number of awards. It has achieved Investors' in People, Healthy Schools, and the Quality Mark for Inclusion.