Thurlby Community Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy attending and spending time with their peers.

As one pupil said: 'It's one of my homes.'

The 'Thurlby' values are commonly known and understood. Pupils try hard each day to: demonstrate teamwork; be hard-working; be upbeat and respectful; to love learning; to be brave; and to know that 'you are unique'.

Pupils are polite and courteous. They behave well in lessons and around the school. They thrive on the wide range of praise and recognition that they receive.

Green points, along with the associated, bronze, silver and gold certificates, are highly prized, as is earning time to spend with the school's guin...ea pigs. Pupils understand what happens in the event of poor behaviour. However, they say that 'red points' are rare.

This reflects the school's high expectations.

Pupils make an important contribution to the day-to-day running of their school. They are proud of the wide range of roles that they carry out, including those of play leaders, house captains and early years assistants.

Pupils value the improvements that the school council bring about, including the recent introduction of the 'buddy bench' on the playground. Subject ambassadors promote the importance and a love of their subjects with a passion.

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

The school is well led and managed.

At all levels, leaders know their school well. They have a fully rounded view of its strengths and know what can be improved further. They have brought around significant improvements in a relatively short period of time.

The school has built a dedicated and committed staff team who share a united view that, 'every child counts, every moment matters.'

Across all subjects, the school's curriculum is fully planned and sequenced. Content is ordered in a systematic and logical manner.

It builds cumulatively on what has been taught before. It prepares pupils well for what they will learn later. It makes clear the precise knowledge that pupils are expected to learn and remember.

The curriculum is taught well. However, in a small number of subjects, pupils do not consistently recall what they have learned. This is because, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum is at an early stage of implementation.

However, in other cases, some pupils struggle to remember longer-term what they have learned in the past.

The school's phonics programme is systematically organised. Pupils learn sounds in a well-sequenced order.

Staff have been trained to teach the programme well. The school regularly checks on the quality of teaching. It is quick to identify and help any children who begin to fall behind.

Pupils, including those who are at the earliest stages of learning to read, soon become competent readers.

The school makes sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same ambitious curriculum as everyone else. They identify these pupils' needs and provide teachers with the information needed to support these pupils in their learning.

As a result, pupils with SEND do well.

The early years is an exciting place to learn. Indoors, as well as on the patio and in the garden, the broad range of activities on offer help children to learn the curriculum.

The school plans activities that help children to revisit and remember what they have learned. Children quickly develop independence. They are proud of their achievements and eager to share these with adults.

Across all areas of learning, the early years curriculum is well planned and sequenced. However, in a small number of places, it does not make clear enough the precise content that children are expected to know and remember.

The school does much to support pupils' personal development.

It is a strength. This work is underpinned by a robust programme for personal, social and health education (PSHE). Pupils learn how to understand their own and others' feelings and emotions.

They learn about different people and communities from around the world. Beyond the academic curriculum, there are a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities on offer. Pupils make good use of these.

The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND are fully included.

The local governing body, the board of trustees and the trust work together to provide the school with the right level of challenge and support. This, along with strengths in leadership, means that the school has a good capacity for continued improvement.

Pupils, staff and the majority of parents are highly positive about the school. However, a small proportion of parents and carers raise concerns about some aspects of the school's provision. These views do not match what was found on inspection.

However, the school recognises that there is further work to do to ensure that the vast majority of parents view the school in a consistently, positive way.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of foundation subjects, pupils do not consistently recall what they have learned.

In some cases, this is because parts of the curriculum are at an early stage of implementation. However, in other cases, some pupils struggle to recall what they have learned earlier in their education. The school should continue to implement its curriculum and develop strategies to ensure that pupils know and remember content longer term.

• In some areas of learning, the early years curriculum, does not make clear what children are expected to know and remember. This means that staff cannot consistently ensure that children learn and remember curriculum content. The school should ensure that the early years curriculum, across all areas of learning, consistently makes clear the key knowledge that children are expected to know and remember.

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