St Pauls Church of England Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is a good school which is improving strongly. Pupils grow into mature young people in the school's welcoming and stimulating atmosphere.

They feel extremely safe and behave well. Parents are overwhelmingly happy with the school. Typically one told an inspector: 'My child is very well cared for, he enjoys school and is making good progress.'

Inspection findings confirm this view. Since the last inspection attainment has risen and is now average. Progress has quickened and is now good.

The school has sustained pupils' good overall personal development. The progress made by boys has accelerated and closed the gap between them and the girls. Teaching, the curriculum and leadership ...and management have all improved and are good.

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. The leaders' drive to improve the school is clearly articulated and enthusiastically embraced by staff, and their plans are effective. The rigorous monitoring of the school's performance provides them with secure and accurate information for self evaluation.

This record shows the school has a good capacity to improve further. There are many signs that teaching is improving. The work teachers plan and their questions are challenging pupils well and ensure they work hard.

Teaching makes good use of resources, such as interactive whiteboards, to engage pupils and develop their understanding. Teaching is not yet outstanding because the pace of learning sometimes slows during a lesson, typically when the difficulty of the work does not match precisely the needs of each pupil in the class so that they are always fully stretched. Children settle quickly and happily into the routines of school in the Nursery and Reception classes.

Here, children's progress is satisfactory because teaching does not consistently ensure that the activities children choose to do are demanding or challenging enough. Furthermore, planning does not always make sufficient use of the outdoor classrooms to broaden children's experiences across all areas of learning. The curriculum supports pupils' personal development well.

It has been revised recently and now provides topics that pupils find exciting, relevant and enjoyable. As a result, pupils are keen to attend school very regularly, which is contributing to a rapidly improving rate of attendance. Staff use their detailed knowledge of each pupil expertly to provide an outstanding level of pastoral care.

The school's targeted support for pupils whose circumstances have the potential to make them vulnerable is very effective.

Information about the school

This is an average sized primary school. Nearly all pupils come from White British families, with the remainder from a wide range of ethnic heritage.

The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is average with most of these having moderate learning difficulties. An above average proportion of pupils are entitled to free school meals. The Early Years Foundation Stage provision comprises a morning Nursery class and a full-time Reception class.

The headteacher has been in post since January 2010. The school has recently gained a number of awards including Healthy Schools Award and the enhanced Quality Mark for Inclusion. The before- and after-school care club is managed by the governing body and was also inspected.