Springfield Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Springfield Primary Academy provides a kind and caring community. Leaders have high expectations and are ambitious for all pupils.

They work hard to ensure pupils attend school regularly, are safe and taught well. In response, pupils are happy at school and enjoy attending. Each day, staff aim to bring the school motto 'inspire futures and make memories' to life.

Lessons are interesting and pupils learn well. They love their new school building.

Leaders make sure that pupils are well behaved.

Classrooms are calm and orderly places, where pupils can enjoy and focus on their learning. Leaders deal swiftly and effectively with any incidents of poor beha...viour or bullying, making sure that it stops quickly. There are positive, respectful relationships between staff and pupils.

Pupils learn new skills, such as cooking, computer coding and sewing. Sport clubs enable pupils to develop physical skills and partake in competitions. Trips and visits enrich pupils' learning.

For example, pupils have visited a conservation centre to support learning in science and different museums to assist history lessons. These activities also help to broaden pupils' horizons.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils.

It is carefully sequenced with clear end points. This informs teachers about what to teach and when to teach it. Teachers receive training that helps them to teach the curriculum well.

They present new learning clearly. Teachers check on how well pupils are learning in lessons and clarify any misconceptions. However, leaders do not consistently check how well pupils learn and remember the curriculum over time.

This means they do not know enough about how well pupils achieve in all subjects.

The youngest pupils get off to a good start. Staff know children well and carefully plan to meet their care and learning needs.

Children learn to share and take turns when working in pairs or groups. They learn to manage their feelings and emotions. Staff provide many opportunities to excite and engage children in learning, for example, by observing caterpillars grow into butterflies.

Adults encourage ambitious vocabulary, such as 'chrysalis', when explaining the life cycle of a butterfly. They show children how to count and use numbers in a range of ways. Most children can read and write words and simple sentences by the end of the Reception Year.

Leaders prioritise reading. They have invested in a broad and diverse range of books. Pupils read and are read to regularly in school.

Library visits, 'read ten before you leave each class' and 'pyjama reading days' promote books and help pupils to develop a love of reading. Pupils enjoy practising new sounds when reading books that match the sounds that they are learning. Most staff teach reading well.

However, a few staff who are new to teaching phonics do not know the school's approach well enough. This means that, at times, there are inconsistencies in the teaching of early reading. As a result, some children who have fallen behind in reading do not catch up as quickly as they could.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are swiftly identified. Leaders work closely with external agencies to get the right provision in place. Pupils with SEND are well supported to be successful in school.

As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

Leaders have carefully crafted the school's personal development offer in partnership with the local community. It is based upon the school's values of respect, resilience and integrity.

Pupils learn to be active citizens by fundraising for an international earthquake appeal and a local 'food pantry.' They have opportunities to take on responsibilities in school, such as joining 'safeguarding squad' or the pupil-led eco council. Pupils learn about democracy through the work of the school council.

They recognise and respect other people's differences by learning about different faiths and cultures. For example, they learn about Hinduism, Islam and Christianity and celebrations, such as Eid and Diwali. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Leaders, including trust leaders, are highly committed to the school's continued success. They want the best for every pupil. They hold the headteacher to account for the school's performance.

However, there is work to do to support new subject leaders to check how well pupils are learning in some subjects.

Leaders engage well with the wider school community. Parents are positive about the quality of education their children receive.

Leaders engage well with staff. They are mindful of staff workload and well-being. They listen thoughtfully to any concerns that staff raise and seek swift, effective solutions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff know how to respond to any safety or welfare concerns about pupils. Leaders are meticulous in their responses to any concerns staff raise.

They engage with external agencies swiftly and effectively to make sure that any pupil in need of help gets the support that they need.

Pupils learn how to keep safe when out and about in the community and online. Pupils know there are trusted adults in school that they can talk to if they have a worry or concern.

Leaders make the appropriate checks on staff before they start work at the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some middle leaders are new to subject leadership. They do not yet have the knowledge and skills to evaluate the impact of the curriculum in their subject.

This means they do not know enough about how well pupils are learning. Leaders should support middle leaders to undertake their role effectively, ensuring that they check how well pupils learn and remember the curriculum over time. ? A few staff are new to teaching phonics in school.

They are not fully familiar with the school's approach to teaching early reading. This means that, at times, phonics is not taught as well as intended. Leaders should ensure all staff fully understand how to teach phonics effectively, so that any pupils who have fallen behind in reading, including those new to the school, are supported to catch up rapidly.

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