Stanley Grove Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Under the head of school's leadership and supported by the multi-academy trust, the staff team have created a vibrant and nurturing environment which puts pupils' rights at the heart of the school. The school's vision statement, 'The best for everyone, the best from everyone', drives the improvements that are being made across the school. Expectations are high, and leaders inspire pupils to have high aspirations.

The head of school provides passionate and focused leadership. Since the last inspection she has built a stable and effective leadership team. Leaders are making many improvements in their areas of responsibility.

Leaders and gov...ernors have used their evaluations of the school's work to implement fast-paced improvements. Consequently, the quality of teaching and learning has improved and is now typically good. Despite pupils across the school making stronger progress, outcomes require improvement because some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

The teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) is strong. As a result, pupils acquire the necessary skills to help them in their early reading. The teaching of reading has been prioritised by leaders.

Pupils enjoy spending time in the school library and demonstrate a love of reading. Most teachers match work accurately to pupils' abilities. However, the most able pupils are sometimes not challenged enough.

Consequently, they do not consistently make the progress of which they are capable. Pupils' writing is improving because of good teaching. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to write at length across the curriculum.

In addition, some teachers do not always have high enough expectations for pupils' handwriting, spelling and punctuation. The early years is a vibrant and well-resourced place in which children make good progress. However, sometimes teachers do not make the best use of the outdoor learning environment to promote children's independent learning.

The promotion of pupils' personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils are safe and are polite and considerate. The curriculum is broad and balanced.

Middle leaders are passionate about their areas of responsibility. Pupils are taught by a range of subject specialists and make particularly strong progress in physical education, Spanish, information technology and art.

Information about this school

This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.

The vast majority of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. The largest group represented is Pakistani. Very few pupils are White British.

A high proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is above average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is broadly average.

A larger proportion of pupils enter the school at different times of the year than is seen nationally. Most of these pupils are at the earliest stages of speaking English when they join. There have been significant changes to the leadership team, staffing and the school building since the last section 5 inspection.