Springbank Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

From Nursery to Year 6, pupils enjoy learning at Springbank Primary Academy. They learn to be polite, welcoming and friendly towards each other. The school offers a warm welcome to pupils from other countries, so they quickly become part of the school community.

Through the curriculum, pupils have many opportunities to hold roles of responsibility. For example, Year 6 pupils train as peer mediators to help other pupils resolve friendship issues. Pupils are elected to be house captains and members of the student council.

Pupils are proud of their school. They value the many clubs that they can join, such as chess, football and art.

Children in Nursery, pre-sch...ool and Reception learn the routines of school well.

They learn how to take turns, share and make firm friendships. Children learn to voice their imaginative interpretations of the world through well-planned activities.

Pupils and children in the early years are motivated to learn well.

They behave well, both in and out of class. Pupils state that bullying is not an issue, but they say that staff would resolve it swiftly if it occurred. Pupils feel safe, nurtured and cared for.

Relationships between staff and pupils are strong.

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

The school has been relentless in revising the curriculum so that all pupils learn well. The vision for the academic, social and emotional success of pupils is shared by all staff.

Leaders and staff have high aspirations and expectations for pupils to achieve well. They have worked to develop a curriculum that supports pupils to learn progressively more complex concepts in most subjects. However, in some subjects, the curriculum does not help pupils to build on their prior knowledge well.

From early years to key stage 1, pupils learn to read confidently. Through talking about stories, children in Nursery develop their language skills. For example, children learn vocabulary and grammar through repeating the nursery rhyme 'Sleeping Bunnies.'

In Reception, children are very enthusiastic about learning to read. They make clear links between letters and the sounds they make. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 review the sounds they have learned previously to help them learn more complex sounds.

Pupils love listening to stories and talk knowledgeably about characters, setting and plot. For example, pupils spoke enthusiastically about Roald Dahl's novel 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.'

Children in Reception are immersed in magical worlds that stimulate their creativity and curiosity.

For example, children reinterpreted the nursery rhyme 'Incy Wincy Spider' through story maps and painting. Children throughout early years develop a good understanding of number. They develop strong physical coordination through well-structured activities, such as bouncing on mini trampolines and balancing on beams.

Children are very well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in receipt of pupil premium funding are supported to learn the curriculum successfully. Staff know both the learning and pastoral needs of pupils well.

The learning environment is orderly and harmonious. Pupils aspire to achieve. They are happy and thriving.

They enrich their learning through trips to explore the history of their local area. They also visit theatres and the local literature festival to enhance their knowledge of drama and books. Through a well-structured personal, social and health education curriculum, pupils learn about their role in society.

Pupils' overall attendance is strong. However, the school acknowledges that some pupils do not attend regularly. Leaders have introduced a breadth of incentives to encourage these pupils to attend, but the impact of this is not yet apparent.

Trustees know the school well and provide effective scrutiny and support. They consider pertinent information and pose challenging questions. The trust improvement team provides helpful support to the school to revise the curriculum.

Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at the school. Early career teachers feel very well supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not yet fully embedded in some subjects. Consequently, some pupils do not have sufficient prior knowledge to make sense of more complex concepts later. The school must ensure that the curriculum is well sequenced in all subjects.

Some pupils do not attend school regularly. As a result, they are missing vital education, which will have an impact on their next steps. The school must continue to ensure that all parents, carers and pupils understand the link between regular school attendance, learning and future opportunities.