Starbeck Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this inclusive and caring school.

They describe Starbeck as having 'something for everyone' and where 'all people are treated the same'. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have a good understanding of equality.

Pupils feel safe at Starbeck.

They feel listened to and well supported. They know that they can use the 'Let's chat' box in the assembly hall if they want to share a worry with an adult. Pupils receive help from adults promptly if they need it.

They are given praise and encouragement to do their best. Pupils told inspectors that staff help them to have high aspirations for ...the future.

Older pupils enjoy the responsibility of supporting younger pupils.

They become play leaders and receive training on how to run games in the playground at break times. Pupils enjoy a range of sporting activities, such as playing football and using climbing equipment.

Five core values, including resilience and self-belief, underpin the school's ethos.

They are threaded through the curriculum. Pupils receive awards for demonstrating these in a weekly 'Star Awards' assembly. Pupils achieve well at Starbeck.

Parents and carers are very positive about the education and support their children experience at Starbeck. They praise the commitment of the staff. Parents and carers value the way the school helps their children grow and thrive.

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

Leaders have worked hard to improve the school's curriculum. In most subjects, such as mathematics, pupils learn new content in a precise, logical order. Pupils revisit previous learning and are shown how this will help them develop new knowledge.

This helps pupils to be successful in lessons. Pupils speak positively about their learning. In physical education, for example, pupils learn how to control a ball with a racket over time.

This learning is broken up into small steps, allowing pupils to develop their forehand, backhand and rally skills.

Pupils immerse themselves in books at Starbeck. Younger pupils, including children in the early years, are inspired by stories in their role play.

They retell their favourite stories with enthusiasm. Older pupils are just as enthused by the books that they have read. They talk with confidence about their favourite authors and a range of genres and styles.

Older pupils also enjoy refining their reading skills by answering questions about books they are reading with their teacher.

Story time is valued by pupils. Their teachers read to them every day.

Staff teach phonics following the structure of the school's chosen scheme. Children in Reception know that the terms 'digraph' and 'trigraph' refer to sounds made by more than one letter. Pupils look for these before trying to read unfamiliar words.

However, there is not a consistent approach to developing fluency when staff listen to pupils read. In this regard, the school does not use its phonics assessment consistently. The books that pupils are given to read do not always match the sounds that they have learned.

Children make a positive start in the early years. They benefit from an environment that allows them to develop their communication skills and independence. Children are successfully supported by early years staff to be ready for the next stage of their education.

In Reception, for example, children learn through an 'old and new' unit of work. This helps prepare them for learning about 'people from history' in Year 1.

Staff have good subject knowledge.

In English, for example, pupils benefit from seeing their teachers model their thinking. This helps pupils make improvements to the quality of the verbal answers that they give in lessons. However, staff sometimes do not give enough time for pupils to respond to questions, moving on too quickly to the next activity.

When this happens, pupils miss out on opportunities to deepen their thinking.

The school effectively supports pupils with SEND. These pupils access all lessons.

Staff ensure that lessons are appropriately adapted. Parents appreciate the school's nurturing approach. For example, when a pupil has low confidence, the school provides high-quality pastoral support.

The result of this is that pupils have full participation in all aspects of school life.

There are high expectations at Starbeck regarding attendance. Leaders track attendance well.

They know which children are persistently absent and are taking steps to address this, responding to issues that arise quickly and effectively. The behaviour of the majority of pupils is positive. However, there are some inconsistencies in the way pupils behave in different classes and with the approaches that staff use to manage incidents of poor behaviour.

The school's enrichment opportunities are a core part of its personal development offer. Many pupils become library leaders or join the school council. There are lots of clubs for pupils to join.

They enjoy different experiences that are set out for each year group, such as fossil hunting or flying a kite. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online in their 'Well-being Wednesday' lessons. The school has developed links with the local community, for example with the local library and church.

Pupils are less knowledgeable about different faiths and aspects of diversity.

Starbeck benefits from ambitious leadership at all levels. Trustees and governors provide effective challenge and support.

Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at the school. They appreciate the training they receive and the high priority that leaders give to their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils' reading books are not always closely matched to their phonics knowledge. This means that pupils sometimes read books that are too hard for them. The school should ensure that the outcomes of phonics assessments are used to inform the books that pupils read.

• Some pupils do not behave with consistently high levels of respect for their peers or adults. This has an effect on the overall behaviour of pupils in and around the school. The school should ensure that adults' expectations of behaviour are consistently high.