Mayflower Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school The headteacher has built a culture of high expectations of pupils' achievement and has developed a strong team of leaders who share his belief that no child should be left behind.

Governors have used their specialist skills and knowledge of the latest educational research to support leaders in the drive for improvement. There has been a relentless focus on staff development, and, as a result of typically strong teaching, pupils are making excellent progress and standards are continuing to rise. Pupils who are disadvantaged make rapid progress and most reach the expected levels for their age, particularly in reading.

Pupils who ha...ve special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve equally well, particularly when programmes are tightly tailored to their next steps in learning. Skilled teachers in the support centre, where pupils have complex and varied special educational needs and/or disabilities, help pupils to make excellent progress. Pupils' confidence and resilience have been purposefully developed and their views are respected.

Pupils discuss their mistakes openly, are prepared to try hard and accept challenge. They behave very well in lessons and at play. Parents are very positive about the school.

They value the opportunities their children have to practise skills and 'catch up' through after-school classes and regular homework. The leader in the early years has a deep knowledge of children's early development and is skilled at using assessment to plan precise teaching. All children make outstanding progress whatever their starting point.

The curriculum is well planned around the skills and knowledge that pupils need at each stage. School leaders have a strong commitment to keeping pupils safe. Staff are well trained and vigilant in protecting children from harm.

Information about this school

Mayflower Academy is a larger than average primary school that is part of the Talent and Enterprise Trust, sponsored by the University of Plymouth. The school became an academy on 1 September 2013. Most governance functions are carried out by the local academy council, which replaced the board of governors.

The school is organised into two classes for each year group. Most children start either in the Nursery Year, where they attend for either mornings or afternoons, or in the Reception class. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is very much higher than the national average.

There is a resource base for 12 pupils who have varied and complex special educational needs and/or disabilities. Almost all the pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is much higher than average.

A high number of pupils leave and join the school at times other than the usual time. The school meets the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The school complies with DfE guidance on what academies should publish on their website.

Also at this postcode