Umberleigh Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Umberleigh Primary Academy Dorridge Hill, Umberleigh, Devon EX37 9AD

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Outcome

Umberleigh Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Umberleigh Primary Academy and they enjoy coming to school. They are proud to be part of the school family and the community. Parents appreciate the warm and caring approach leaders provide and the support pupils receive. One parent said, ‘Umberleigh Academy has a lovely community spirit and the children always appear delighted to feel part of it.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are determined for pupils to succeed. They have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that helps pupils to build their knowledge well. Pupils are supported to know what makes an effective learner and to take pride in all that they do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and respectful. They show positive attitudes to learning and in all aspects of school life. Adults create a nurturing and safe environment that helps pupils to grow in confidence. Pupils work well with each other and they enjoy being part of the school team.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, such as ‘goal getters’ and ‘the great outdoors’. They value the opportunities they have to contribute to the school. For example, ‘eco rangers’ help the school to save electricity. Pupils enjoy attending residentials. They take on responsibilities and overcome their fears.

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

The curriculum is designed well. Teachers are clear about the knowledge and important concepts they want pupils to learn, including in the early years. For example, in music, the development of vocabulary is well considered. Pupils rehearse new language and revisit what they have learned before. Subject leaders use their expertise to develop staff’s subject knowledge. However, not all staff have the subject knowledge they need to help pupils to learn as well as they could. Where this is the case, pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could. 26 April 2023

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Teachers use assessment to identify what pupils know and remember. For example, in mathematics, teachers check pupils’ understanding with a school code that pupils know well. This helps teachers to identify those pupils that may need help and those that are ready for the next stage of learning. As a result, pupils build their knowledge well.

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Teachers identify the individual needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure that these pupils have the same opportunities as their peers. However, some pupils have targets that are not precise enough. They do not focus on the most significant gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This slows pupils’ progress.

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Leaders prioritise reading. This starts in the early years. Children enjoy listening to stories and singing songs, which supports the development of their vocabulary. Carefully chosen books excite pupils and encourage a love of reading for all. Pupils are exposed to a range of genres, including those that develop their understanding of cultural diversity. Pupils enjoy being ‘reading buddies’ and sharing books weekly with other classes. Leaders provide training that helps staff to understand the school’s approach to teaching phonics. This helps most pupils to progress well through the phonics programme. However, not all adults have the subject knowledge they need to model sounds with accuracy. Some pupils do not learn to read as well as they could. Most pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. Staff identify pupils who fall behind and support them to catch up.

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All staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils behave well. Pupils understand that listening, taking turns and trying hard will help them to learn more. Children in the early years settle into school routines quickly. As a result, they are independent and maintain high levels of interest in their learning. All pupils are courteous to each other and know what makes a good friend. Pupils say that any friendship issues are resolved quickly.

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Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development. Pupils enjoy a range of opportunities that go beyond the academic. For example, pupils attend an annual ‘lifeguard day’ where they learn about beach safety and keeping safe in the wider world. Pupils take part in community events that support their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. For example, pupils help to prepare soup for the annual ‘harvest supper’, where money is raised to support a local charity. Pupils talk confidently about equality and their respect for others. They know that everyone should be included and treated fairly.

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Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration for their well-being. Subject leaders from schools within the trust have shared their expertise to support curriculum development. Staff value being part of the trust and praise the regular opportunities to liaise and learn from colleagues.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils and their families well. Leaders provide regular training for staff that helps them to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff know the steps to take if they have any safeguarding concerns. The pastoral team provides support to vulnerable families because they know their needs well. 26 April 2023

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Pupils feel safe. They know how to seek help if they have any worries. Pupils know that their concerns will be taken seriously. Pupils are taught about how to keep safe, including online, within the curriculum.

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Leaders make the necessary recruitment checks on adults who work with pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff lack the necessary subject knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum effectively, including in the early years. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge well enough, including when learning to read. Leaders must ensure that all staff build their subject knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum effectively across all subjects.  The needs of some pupils with SEND are not met well enough. Some pupils’ learning targets lack precision. As a result, these pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could. Leaders must ensure that learning targets focus on the most significant gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This will enable them to check that all pupils receive the support they need to learn well.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Umberleigh Community Primary School, to be good in September 2011.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 26 April 2023

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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. 26 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268624 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Team Academy Trust.  This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Pupils are organised into five mixed-age classes.  The school has an on-site Nursery provision for two-, three- and four-year-old children.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the second 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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, the 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. 26 April 2023

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 The inspectors spoke with school leaders, subject leaders, parents, pupils, governors and representatives from the trust.  The inspectors listened to pupils read to a trusted adult.  To evaluate safeguarding, the inspectors spoke to the designated safeguarding leader, staff, governors and pupils, and evaluated record-keeping and staff training.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, the inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents, and comments made by parents online during the inspection. There were no responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Esther Best, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Lovett Ofsted Inspector 26 April 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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