St Nicolas CofE Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Children get off to a tremendous start at St Nicolas C of E Academy.

They soon adopt orderly routines and learn quickly. Learning moves smoothly from one key stage to the next. The school has high expectations of all its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils go on to make strong progress through a broad curriculum, so that they are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Staff forge strong relationships with pupils, and pupils know that adults will listen to them if they have a concern. This means that they feel safe in school.

Pupils attend regularly and behave well in lessons. At soci...al times, they play happily together. They are well mannered and treat each other with respect.

The school feels calm and purposeful.

The school takes effective care of pupils' mental health. Through the parliament, for example, pupils have good opportunities to contribute to the life of the school.

Representatives have negotiated for storage sheds to be installed on the playground. Trips and visitors add to the richness of the curriculum. A high proportion of pupils take part in clubs after school, including sewing, Lego and sporting activities.

Fine, relevant displays contribute to a most attractive school environment.

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

The school makes learning to read a top priority. From the very start of Reception, all pupils are taught in a logical way how sounds correspond to letters or groups of letters.

Staff use the language and routines of phonics in a consistent way. They check on how well pupils are learning. The school provides effective support for any pupils at risk of falling behind.

Staff work closely with parents, and pupils read frequently to an adult. Books are well matched to pupils' knowledge of phonics. Pupils quickly become fluent readers.

For older pupils, teachers pay precise attention to different reading skills. Most pupils are keen to read in their own time.

Pupils study all the subjects in the national curriculum.

The curriculum includes each component of a subject so that in art, for example, they learn about artists, how to create and how to evaluate their own work. Leaders have planned learning in detail so that it builds on what pupils already know.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge.

They plan the day-to-day activities for pupils so that they meet the school's long-term learning aims. Teachers present information clearly and check on what pupils have learned. They ensure that pupils recap their knowledge to help them remember it.

Teachers use resources effectively. In geography, virtual reality goggles allow pupils to see what they cannot experience first-hand. In some subjects, however, the key learning gets a little lost in the knowledge for pupils to learn.

On occasion, the learning is not broken down carefully enough into small steps that pupils find easy to follow.

The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND promptly and effectively. Staff draw on guidance to ensure that they meet pupils' needs well.

As a result, pupils with SEND make effective progress through the full curriculum.

The school has clear expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils learn to treat their peers with respect.

They are keen to succeed. Pupils concentrate well in class, especially when they find the work stimulating. For example, Year 4 pupils were enthused by the way that their work in both science and geography taught them about the water cycle.

Pupils present their work neatly. The school provides effective support for those pupils who need additional help with their behaviour.

Pupils follow a planned programme of social and personal education.

This teaches pupils about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe, including online. Through the choice of texts for study and subjects like religious education, the school has taken important steps to widen pupils' social and cultural knowledge. Pupils commonly vote to decide on reading texts.

This has contributed to a good understanding of fairness and democracy. In the early years, children make exceptional progress in developing their language skills. Older pupils are noticeably confident and articulate.

The school works very effectively with parents and carers, for example showing them how to support their children's learning in different subjects. Staff at all levels have contributed well to the development of the school. They are happy, motivated and believe that the school is considerate of their well-being and workload.

The trust provides the school with a good level of support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not identified precisely the key learning that pupils need to learn.

The learning is sometimes not broken down into sufficiently small steps. As a result, gaps appear in some pupils' knowledge. The school should ensure that in all subjects it is clear what knowledge is essential for pupils' progress, and that it is broken down into manageable steps for them to learn.

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