Sprites Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils experience a rich and varied curriculum at Sprites, which goes well beyond the academic. They have access to a very wide range of extra-curricular experiences.

Pupils love their learning and talk very excitedly about the topics covered and activities done.

Pupils are expected to behave, and they do. They are clear about the school's 'life values', which encourage them to be 'safe, polite and aspirational'.

Pupils understand how these will help them to be good citizens of the future. The school has grown to be a close-knit community. Pupils really enjoy events such as their 'colour run' and fireworks, which involve parents as well.

There is ver...y little bullying. Pupils are clear that the adults would treat this very seriously and sort it out quickly if it happened. Pupils feel valued by staff.

If they are worried, or finding things too much, pupils enjoy spending time in the 'Thrive' room or reading and playing with the school dog. Children in the early years learn the skills to be independent and enthusiastic learners quickly.

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

Over the last few years, leaders have transformed this school.

It has moved from providing a very poor education to a strong one. Leaders at all levels now share the same vision of providing a 'great' education. They work well with staff to ensure they teach the curriculum to a high standard.

Staff feel very well supported by leaders. Weak provision in the past means that some pupils are still not achieving as well as they could, but they are now catching up fast.

The curriculum, and the delivery of it, is of high quality.

Direct links are made between topics learned, from earlier year groups or subjects. Pupils can explain how learning from previous lessons helps them with new learning. Teachers make sure that pupils can revisit learning.

They check regularly to see how much pupils can remember. In Reception, for example, children confidently played a game that they had learned the previous week without needing adult help.

Reading is taught using consistently effective methods from class to class.

Pupils are taught in groups that are closely linked to the sounds they need to learn next. The books that pupils take home are well matched to the sounds they need to practise. There is extra support for pupils who are at risk of falling behind.

As pupils move through the school, they are motivated to read by the rewards on offer. There are a wide range of good-quality books for them to choose from.

Although the way that pupils lay out their work is of a high standard, their handwriting is too often positioned wrongly on the line, and capital letters are used incorrectly.

Pupils' writing in subjects such as history and science is not always of good quality. It does not demonstrate their excellent understanding of what they learn.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well provided for.

Teachers ensure that adaptations to learning enable most pupils to access the same curriculum as others. They use clear visual timetables, word banks and starter sentences well. A very small number of pupils have personalised curriculums and timetables, but they are included in the rest of school life whenever possible.

However, the plans that are written for most pupils with SEND are not precise enough about how their individual needs will be met. While there are changes planned, these have not yet been implemented.

Leaders seek out new ways to supplement pupils' experience.

They ensure that pupils can learn musical instruments. Disadvantaged pupils are encouraged and funded to attend after-school clubs, such as robotics, kickboxing and 'junk band'. The cookery club adds to the main kitchen's work in providing meals for a community fridge for families in need.

Pupils volunteer out in the community, recently planting 300 trees locally.

Pupils are clear that everyone is welcome at Sprites. They do not accept any discrimination in any way.

They really enjoy assemblies and have good recall of their learning about different significant people and current issues. The curriculum has key concepts such as 'democracy' and 'climate change' woven throughout. Even the very youngest children learn about these at an appropriate level.

The governing body is highly active. All members have accessed appropriate training for their role. Governors regularly visit the school to look at specific areas.

They offer a high level of supportive challenge for school leaders. They check that staff's workload is acceptable.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained. Leaders regularly check on staff's understanding of safeguarding. They ensure that there are short training updates where needed.

Consequently, staff are highly vigilant in recording any concerns they might have about a pupil. Leaders and the pastoral team work effectively with parents and other agencies to provide support as needed.

Pupils are regularly taught about keeping safe when out and about and when online.

They feel safe in school.

All appropriate checks are made on adults in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils' writing is not always of good quality.

Their handwriting is too often erratic, and what they write does not always reflect their level of understanding. Leaders need to ensure that pupils are taught to write neatly, and in enough detail to show what they know. ? The individual 'maps to success' plans for pupils with SEND are not precise enough.

They do not clearly show how the needs of pupils are to be met. This means that what teachers plan for does not always exactly match pupils' intended next step. Leaders need to ensure that staff are trained to develop plans that specify more precisely how staff will support pupils.