Silkmore Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school The headteacher and trust leaders have a determination that pupils and staff will excel. A strong team of leaders and staff supports the headteacher in realising her vision. This has resulted in outstanding provision.

Leaders and staff are ambitious for pupils and expect them to do well, which they do. Consistently high expectations have led to significant improvements in the quality of teaching and pupils' outcomes over the past two years. The academy trust provides very strong leadership.

Directors support and challenge the headteacher highly effectively and make a significant contribution to the development of the school. High-...quality training and regular feedback to staff ensure that teaching across the school is consistently strong. Teachers' high expectations and creative approach to the curriculum contribute strongly to pupils' rapid progress.

The teaching of phonics and reading is highly effective. Teachers make excellent use of assessment information to plan learning that matches pupils' needs closely. As a result, pupils in all year groups make substantial and sustained progress.

Precise guidance helps pupils to improve continuously. Pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. At the end of key stages 1 and 2, a high proportion of pupils achieve the standards expected for their age and an increasing number exceed them.

The rich and stimulating curriculum engages pupils extremely well in their learning. Carefully planned 'mini-adventures' deepen pupils' knowledge, skills and understanding in a range of subjects. Leaders recognise that the assessment of pupils' skills in subjects other than English and mathematics needs further development.

Children in the early years benefit from high-quality teaching. From low starting points, they make rapid gains in their learning. As a result, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development is above the national average.

Leaders and staff ensure that they meet the needs of all pupils. As a result, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities make strong progress from their different starting points. Pupils' behaviour is excellent.

Exemplary attitudes to learning contribute to the high standards pupils achieve. Pupils' attendance is improving rapidly, although the rate of absence remains above the national average.

Information about this school

Silkmore Primary Academy converted to become a sponsored academy in July 2015.

It is part of the REAch2 multi-academy trust. The multi-academy trust is governed by a trust board who are accountable for all of the schools in the trust. Regional boards hold leaders to account for school performance.

The local governing body makes checks at a school level and reports its findings back to the regional board. The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above the national average.

The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average. The number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs, or an education, health and care plan, is also below the national average. The early years comprises a Nursery class for two- and three-year-old children, a pre-school class for three- and four-year-olds, and a Reception class.

There is one class in each year group from Year 1 to Year 6. The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.