Tameside Primary Academy

Inspection of Tameside Primary Academy Price Road, Wednesbury WS10 0EZ

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 February 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 14 and 15 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Tameside Primary Academy is a school where pupils and the school community are at the heart of everything leaders do. Leaders are ambitious for pupils. They ensure that pupils develop the knowledge and skills to be confident in life beyond school. Pupils flourish at this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations from the moment children join in early years. Children excel and become confident readers and mathematicians and have a thirst for learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the opportunities that the school opens up to them. They enjoy well- planned trips and residential opportunities. Leaders ensure that all pupils have equal access to these trips, making any adaptations needed for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and have excellent manners. Lessons are rarely disrupted. Pupils are extremely tolerant of, and respectful towards, others. They embrace diversity and say, ‘All people are welcome here.’ If bullying does occur, leaders deal with it effectively. They work closely with pupils to educate them about the impact of bullying. This helps to minimise any future fallings-out. Pupils are supported to feel safe through the school counsellor and the range of ‘trusted adults’ who help to look after them.

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better?

Leaders, including those from the trust, know the community exceptionally well. They have an unwavering determination to ensure that all pupils receive the very best experiences in school. This starts with the provision for pupils’ personal development. Leaders ensure that all pupils benefit from a rich range of extracurricular opportunities. For example, pupils go on three residential visits during their time in school. These focus on developing different skills, such as in art, music and drama, as well as outdoor and adventurous activities. Pupils learn in detail about different religions and cultures. They are taught about the impact they can have on others. For example, a Year 3 pupil spoke at length about how they could help a farmer in Ghana to escape poverty by changing their own actions and encouraging their family to make changes too.

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better?

Leaders’ vision to provide all pupils with a high-quality education is shared by all staff. The curriculum is ambitious. Leaders have designed the curriculum so that it builds up pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. However, in some subjects, leaders have not identified the precise knowledge that they want pupils to remember. This means that pupils do not always remember the important knowledge that leaders expect. In these subjects, subject leaders have not had the opportunity to monitor how well pupils learn the curriculum. 14 and 15 February 2023

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There is a strong focus on reading throughout the school. Leaders have ensured that the books they want the pupils to know and enjoy are carefully identified. They have included books that offer a depth of understanding about issues such as sexism, cultural awareness and life as a refugee. The early reading curriculum is of high quality and begins as soon as children start in early years. All staff are experts in teaching phonics. As a result, they quickly identify and address any misconceptions, such as incorrect pronunciation. Teachers regularly recap the sounds the children have learned, which helps to develop fluency and confidence. Those pupils who fall behind in reading are quickly and effectively supported to catch up.

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Pupils with SEND have their needs identified very quickly, so that support can be put in place. Trained staff use a wide range of appropriate strategies that support pupils to achieve well.

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Early years is a hive of activity. Children settle into school routines quickly. Teachers have thought carefully about the precise knowledge that they want the children to learn over their time in early years. Activities deepen children’s understanding so that they become experts in their own learning. An example was seen when all children were skilled in using an electronic programme for creating music. Children have excellent attitudes towards learning and focus on activities for a sustained period of time. This helps them to achieve highly.

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Pastoral support for pupils is exceptional. Leaders have ensured that all pupils have an outlet if they are worried. For example, pupils can talk to the school’s qualified counsellor, trusted adults and the pupil safeguarding champions. Pupils have a strong understanding of the different religions and the importance of rules and fairness in society. They talked confidently about how following the rule of law has helped to improve behaviour as, ‘We can’t behave like that outside of school, so we don’t do it in school.’

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Leaders engage very well with parents and carers. Leaders strive to promote ambition with pupils and families alike. Leaders are continuing to work with some parents to promote good attendance, since some pupils are regularly absent from school.

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Staff are happy at the school and feel well supported. Leaders are considerate of staff’s well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is very well managed. Leaders have ensured that all staff are well trained to spot whether a pupil is at risk of harm or neglect. Staff report any concerns, no matter how small, and effective help and support are quickly put in place. 14 and 15 February 2023

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Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe. They learn about healthy relationships and consent. They are taught how this links to keeping safe in the wider world, including when using technology. External agencies regularly talk to pupils about keeping safe in the community. For example, the police spoke to pupils about knife crime and anti-social behaviour.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the precise knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This means that pupils do not remember more of the curriculum in these subjects. Leaders should make sure that they identify the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn in these subjects.  Some subject leaders have not had the opportunity to monitor the impact of the curriculum in their subjects. This means that leaders are not clear about how well pupils learn the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders have the opportunity to monitor pupils’ learning.  Too many pupils are regularly absent from school for long periods. This means that they do not learn as much as they should. Leaders should continue to work closely with families to ensure that pupils attend school regularly.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 14 and 15 February 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school operates its own before- and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 14 and 15 February 2023

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 Inspectors held meetings with the principal, the vice-principal, the special educational needs coordinator and other curriculum leaders. The inspector also met representatives of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead and checked documents relating to safeguarding, including the checks made on staff. Inspectors also examined documentation relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and the views of staff from Ofsted’s online survey.  Inspectors also spoke with parents, pupils and staff informally during the school day.

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Inspection team

Eve Morris, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Allyson Brown Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 February 2023

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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