Stoke Damerel Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is at the heart of its community. Leaders have made strong links with parents and carers, and with local clubs and activities. Pupils engage in festivals and celebrations, such as VE Day and Plymouth's 400-year anniversary, when COVID-19 (coronavirus) allows.

Pupils enjoyed returning to school following the national restrictions. Leaders made sure that they were safe and well cared for during the pandemic. The constant communication eased the transition back into school and continues today.

The well-being of pupils is foremost in leaders' minds currently.

The headteacher is ambitious for staff and pupils. Since her appointment in April 2019, many c...hanges for the better have taken place.

Everyone – staff and pupils – know that there is a clear vision for the future.

Pupils, from Reception to Year 6, follow routines without undue fuss. The majority are polite and respectful.

Staff help, with sensitivity, any pupils who struggle to conform. There is very little bullying and, on the rare occasions that it happens, staff deal with it well.

The school sits in extensive, grassed grounds with some neighbouring woodlands.

Staff maximise the use of these for pupils' learning and exercise. This is a distinctive feature of the school.

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

Pupils' learning in reading, writing and mathematics is coming on well.

This has been the focus for the past two years, with leaders giving clear curriculum guidance. Consequently, teaching is becoming stronger, and, in these subjects, pupils are learning and remembering more over time. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive teaching that matches their needs, and they are reaching their potential in English and mathematics.

Other subject curriculums are work in progress. The focus on remote learning during the pandemic, together with health and safety priorities, halted the pace of change. Subjects such as history, science, physical education (PE) and computing have more secure plans and it is clearer to see that the right things are being taught at the right time.

The headteacher has been strategic and has timetabled plans to move on the planning in other subjects quickly.

Teachers check learning regularly, both informally and formally. Leaders make sure that teachers can manage their workload.

Reading is a strength of the school, especially for older pupils. Although staff provided remote learning in phonics for Reception and Years 1 and 2 during the national lockdowns, pupils are behind in their development of writing and reading.Teaching of phonics is of a high quality and leaders have made sure that time for reading and writing is sufficient for pupils to catch up quickly.

Pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 read books that match the sounds and vocabulary that they know and recognise. Children from Reception onwards listen to teachers read to them. Older pupils listen to novels and non-fiction works that provide wider knowledge that is of cultural and historical significance.

For many, writing does not reflect their abilities. This is because teachers' expectations are not high enough. They accept poor handwriting which, too often, is inaccurate.

Pupils are articulate and confident to discuss and debate. This becomes more sophisticated as pupils move through the school. Staff communicate well with pupils and encourage them to recount their learning.

As a result, they can explain recent learning well. Even though Reception children are new to school, they speak fluently for their age.

In Reception, children have opportunities to engage in learning that supports counting, writing and the development of their physical and social skills.

However, because children are given too much free choice in selecting activities, some children do not choose important aspects of learning. This hinders their progress in certain areas of the curriculum.

Pupils know how to behave.

Older pupils show consideration for younger pupils and manage their behaviour accordingly. Pupils are at the heart of the school's ethos and have opportunities to take on positions of responsibility. They relish this aspect of school life.

However, their motivation and pride in their learning are not always reflected in the work they produce. There is, though, no disruption to learning.

The deputy headteacher has planned personal, social, health and economic education carefully.

It helps pupils to learn more about themselves and others. They understand the importance of accepting differences. Older pupils appreciate what they are learning about relationships and health.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding leads work together to identify and care for vulnerable pupils. They work well with external agencies to maximise the protection required.

In addition, they care for families as well as pupils when necessary.

Staff receive training on the latest safeguarding updates and understand what to do if any pupils share concerns.

There were some minor issues on staff recruitment checks, but these were remedied during the inspection.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some areas of the curriculum, subject leaders have not planned the content and sequencing of the curriculum with enough detail. Consequently, it is not clear what pupils should know and when. Leaders need to review the curriculum in these subjects to ensure that pupils learn more and remember more over time.

• Teachers' expectations of pupils' writing and presentation are too low. This means that pupils do not always produce their best work. Leaders need to ensure that teachers raise their expectations of what pupils can achieve in writing.

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