Thomas Gamuel Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher, senior leadership team and governors have led the school effectively since it opened in 2014. As a result, standards have improved rapidly in a short time. Parents have noticed these improvements.

Pupils appreciate the skills of their teachers. Governors use information skilfully to ask searching questions of school leaders. They have a thorough, accurate understanding of the school's effectiveness.

The most able pupils make good progress overall. Teachers set work which interests and challenges those ready to deepen and apply their skills and knowledge. The leadership team has ensured that the quality of teaching, learni...ng and assessment is good.

Leaders provide robust challenge and effective training for teachers. Their arrangements for the monitoring and management of teachers' performance hold them closely to account. The curriculum prepares pupils well to take their place in British society.

It helps pupils to understand the importance of inclusion and equality. It enables pupils to develop positive habits for learning. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is a strength of the school.

Senior leaders and governors have ensured that additional funding for disadvantaged pupils has been spent effectively. As a result, they make good progress from their various starting points. Pupils' personal development, behaviour and welfare are good.

Pupils understand and apply the school's values. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Senior leaders and governors keep up to date with current guidance.

The early years teaching team prepares children well for their move into key stage 1. The children make good progress, whatever their starting point on arrival. Pupils acquire basic reading skills well.

This includes pupils who speak English as an additional language. However, some pupils do not make such rapid progress when developing more advanced reading skills and broadening their vocabulary. Senior leaders recognise that work set in some subjects does not help pupils to acquire skills as well as it widens their knowledge.

Pupils are occasionally held up in their learning because : they do not know how to use computers securely.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.

Thomas Gamuel Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school. There are two Reception classes in the early years which children attend full time. The two Nursery classes admit children on a part-time basis.

Pupils come from a wide variety of ethnic heritages. Most pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion who do so is, therefore, much higher than the national average.

The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is similar to the national average. The proportion of pupils who are entitled to additional disadvantaged funding is higher than the national average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.