Westminster Church of England Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Westminster Church of England Primary Academy is a school that celebrates and serves its pupils, and local community, extremely well.

There is a respectful culture based around the school's ethos: 'everyone welcome, everyone belongs, everyone flourishes'. Pupils are safe and happy. They respect, and usually rise to, the high expectations that staff have of them.

Pupils play well together at social times. Many pupils join the school mid-year. Staff use well-established processes to make sure that new pupils quickly feel at home.

The curriculum in many subjects is very well thought through. In some subjects, leaders are still refining the curriculum to make sur...e that pupils get the most out of their learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well.

Children in the early years settle quickly. Staff are becoming skilled in helping children learn new knowledge and vocabulary.

The school provides excellent support to parents and carers so that they can help their children learn, grow and stay safe.

The school is keen to champion Bradford and West Yorkshire. Pupils develop a keen sense of belonging to their local community.

The trust has provided crucial and highly effective support to the school since it joined.

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

The school helps every pupil learn to read. Staff teach phonics lessons confidently and with precision. They choose activities that enable pupils to focus closely on the sounds that they are learning.

Skilled staff give pupils who find reading more difficult the help they need to become fluent, confident readers.

The curriculum that pupils study is broad. In each subject, leaders break down the knowledge pupils need into small steps.

In some subjects, staff have a very detailed understanding of what pupils should know and when. Staff understand how knowledge and skills develop over time. In these subjects, pupils deepen their understanding.

They talk convincingly about what they know. In a small number of subjects, staff are less certain about what to emphasise to pupils. In these subjects, staff do not consistently check, and build on, what pupils have already learned.

When this happens, pupils have a less secure grasp of important knowledge.

The school meets the needs of pupils with SEND, including those with a high level of need. Staff work closely with families.

They know pupils well and give them the right support. The school is keen for pupils with SEND to be as independent as possible. At times, some pupils rely too much on staff.

Support staff are receiving training in how to develop pupils' independence.

Teachers build positive relationships with pupils. The school has developed clear routines that pupils follow.

Behaviour in lessons is calm. Pupils engage well with activities. Bullying is rare.

Pupils feel confident about reporting concerns. They know that teachers will help them to resolve any problems with their peers. Leaders have made attendance a high priority.

This is beginning to have a positive impact. Staff do all they can to make sure that all pupils come to school each day.

Pupils have opportunities to learn about the wider world.

The school draws on the experience that many pupils have of life in other countries. Pupils are respectful of other faiths and cultures. There is a range of educational visits that enrich the school's curriculum.

This helps pupils secure and strengthen their knowledge.

The curriculum for pupils' personal, social and health education (PSHE) is well thought through. However, some of the activities staff choose do not give pupils enough opportunity to think deeply about their learning of PSHE.

This means pupils remember some aspects of the PSHE curriculum better than others.

The curriculum for the early years is carefully designed to get children ready for their next stage. Teacher-led sessions are delivered well.

Activities are purposeful. The school is supporting staff to develop children's vocabulary. This work is paying off.

Children learn especially well when staff skilfully encourage them to use new words and phrases.

Trustees and governors know the school well. They carry out their statutory duties effectively.

They use rigorous processes to make sure they identify what works well and what needs further development. Teachers and non-teaching staff feel supported and value the training that they receive. They particularly praise support from the trust.

Parents and carers are supportive of the school. They say it serves them, and their children, extremely well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers do not consistently emphasise and revisit important knowledge to check that pupils remember it. Where this happens, pupils have a less secure understanding of what they are studying. Leaders should continue to develop the curriculum so that staff know what to emphasise and revisit and so that they check that pupils remember important knowledge over time.