The Gateway Primary Free School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Ambitious leaders have made a notable difference to the quality of education pupils receive. Leaders are determined, focused and have been effective in raising standards.

Good-quality teaching, learning and assessment are underpinned by secure curriculum plans. Most teachers make sure that pupils are interested in their learning and progress well. Leaders have secured better standards for pupils since the previous inspection.

Pupils' outcomes are continuing to improve. Most pupils in the school now make good progress. Leaders make sure that pupils overcome the barriers to learning they might face.

Leaders use additional funding a...ppropriately and effectively to support these pupils to achieve well. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively and achieve well. Pupils behave well, in and out of lessons.

They are polite and keen to learn. Early years provision is strong. Leaders and other adults use time, resources and activities well to ensure that children make good progress and behave well.

Most pupils benefit from a broad curriculum that prepares them well for their next steps in education. However, this curriculum is not as well developed in Year 6. On occasion, teachers do not have high expectations of how pupils should present their work.

Teachers do not routinely challenge the most able pupils to achieve the highest standards in mathematics.

Information about this school

Since the previous inspection, significant changes have been made to the leadership of the school. A new headteacher has been appointed and the senior leadership team has been restructured.

The Gateway Primary Free School is part of the Gateway Learning Community (GLC) multi-academy trust. The work of the school is overseen by the GLC board of directors. Since the previous inspection, the trust has changed the way in which it monitors the effectiveness of the school.

Instead of a local governing body, the trust now monitors the academy through a sub-committee known as the progress board. This meets on a monthly basis and reports back to the board of directors. The school makes use of the Thurrock Turnaround Centre to provide alternative provision for a small number of pupils for short periods of time.

There were no pupils accessing this provision at the time of the inspection. The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. There is a larger than average proportion of disadvantaged pupils who attend the school.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.

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