The Utterby Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They settle quickly and make good progress.

Standards are rising because good teaching ensures that most pupils make at least the expected amount of progress, but some do considerably better. Pupils who are eligible for additional funding and those who are disabled or who have special educational needs make greater gains than similar pupils in other schools. Pupils' attendance rates are above average.

In the best lessons, high expectations, tasks at the right level of difficulty for pupils of all abilities and teachers who respond to their changing needs promote sustai...ned progress. Pupils greatly enjoy school and feel safe. They behave well and treat each other and adults with respect.

Their enthusiasm for learning adds to the progress that they make. The executive headteacher leads the school well. As a result, the quality of teaching and pupils' achievements are better than they were at the time of the previous inspection.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Even though standards are rising because of accelerating progress, pupils' overall attainment in English and mathematics is currently no better than average. Some inconsistencies remain in teaching and in the quality of marking. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to reinforce their literacy and numeracy skills through work in other subjects.

Subject leaders are not yet sufficiently involved in checking the progress of, and seeing through, actions taken to improve teaching and pupils' achievement. The governors do not make enough independent checks on key aspects of the school's work to fully inform the support and challenge that they provide.

Information about this school

The Utterby Primary is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.

Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds and all speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for extra support through pupil premium funding is broadly average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is above average.

The proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is broadly average. The proportion of pupils who join partway through their primary school education is above average. The school's most recent results cannot be compared to the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum standards for pupils' attainment and progress, because there were not enough pupils to make such comparisons meaningful.

The school is a partner in the Utterby and North Thoresby Federation. The executive headteacher directs the work of both schools. The school is due to convert to academy status in the early part of 2013.