Lacey Green Primary Academy

Inspection of Lacey Green Primary Academy Barlow Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 4DP

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Lorraine Dooley. This school is a single academy trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Darren Budd.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Lacey Green Primary Academy as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection of the predecessor school. 28 and 29 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school has high ambitions for pupils’ academic success. These aspirations extend to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The vast majority of pupils meet these high standards. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils enjoy learning and they appreciate the support that they receive from the staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in the early years, enjoy strong friendships. They work and play happily alongside their peers. Children in the early years are proud of their learning environment. Pupils across the school welcome visitors and show impeccable manners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school facilitates clubs and activities to help develop pupils’ talents and interests. For example, pupils can participate in pottery, karate and sports clubs. The school ensures that there are a broad range on offer to enhance opportunities for pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school encourages older pupils to develop their sense of public duty and responsibility by providing them with various leadership opportunities. For example, being head girl or head boy or being a sports ambassador.

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better?

The school has created a highly ambitious curriculum, which begins in the early years and ends in Year 6. Pupils learn curriculum subject content well, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2023, pupils’ attainment and progress in these subjects were among the highest results nationally, when compared to other schools.

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better?

The school has identified the important information that pupils will learn. It has carefully mapped out the key knowledge for each year group in each subject. In most subjects, teachers deliver subject content through well-thought-out lessons. These lessons build on pupils’ prior understanding, so that the majority develop secure knowledge over time.

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better?

The school recently identified that pupils were not achieving as well as intended in a small number of subjects. It took swift action and changed key aspects of the knowledge that pupils learn in these subjects. However, the school has not checked to make sure that the new learning is making a difference to pupils’ achievement.

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better?

Teachers check on pupils’ learning to identify any gaps or misunderstandings in their knowledge. These gaps are then resolved quickly. However, this practice is not as secure in a small number of subjects. As a result, some gaps in pupils’ knowledge are missed and their learning is occasionally disjointed. At times, this assessment information does not enable the school to know how well pupils are learning the curriculum. 28 and 29 November 2023

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The school places reading at the heart of all learning. Experiences such as author visits and golden tickets placed in library books motivate pupils to read. Reading ambassadors act as positive role models for others by providing book recommendations. The school makes sure that pupils, and children in the early years, read regularly from a broad range of literature.

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In the Reception Year, there is a sharp focus on ensuring that children start learning the phonics code straight away. They quickly gain the necessary knowledge to read books that match the sounds that they know. Pupils in Year 1 continue to develop their phonics knowledge and, as a result, nearly all pupils meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. When pupils do not learn from the phonics programme as well as the school intends, they are quickly identified and receive tailored support from skilled staff.

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The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly. It ensures that staff receive effective training to best support those pupils with additional needs. The school makes sure that pupils with SEND learn from the same curriculum as their peers. This is often done through thoughtful adaptations to pupils’ work, so that they can learn successfully. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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During lessons, pupils are immersed in their learning. They understand the value of their education and thrive on developing their knowledge and skills. Children in the early years quickly learn routines. They are encouraged to develop their independence by taking responsibility for tidying away equipment and by looking after the cloakroom. Pupils move around school calmly and sensibly, supported by prefects, who help to instil in others the school’s high expectations of behaviour. Pupils are encouraged to support each other through roles, such as well-being ambassador.

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The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. It does this through regular learning about fundamental British values and understanding the differences between people. Pupils are sometimes invited to share their own knowledge and experience of different cultures and religions with others. They are passionate about respecting everyone’s right to be an individual. Older pupils represent a voice for others through their membership in the school parliament.

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Many parents and carers are extremely positive about the school and appreciate the high aspirations that it has for their children.

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Trustees are well informed and ensure that the work that the school carries out has a positive impact on pupils. Trustees ensure that staff are skilled in carrying out their roles. The school manages any changes carefully so as not to have a negative impact on staff’s workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 28 and 29 November 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school is not checking how well the new learning, in a small number of subjects, is helping pupils to achieve. This means that it is not assured that the recent changes are making the intended difference to pupils’ learning. The school should ensure that it evaluates the impact of recent changes to check how well the subjects are being delivered and understood.  In a small number of subjects, the checks that the teachers carry out do not enable them to spot gaps in pupils’ learning. It is also means that the school cannot be fully assured that the curriculum is helping pupils to achieve well. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively to spot misconceptions in pupils’ learning.

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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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school's pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 28 and 29 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 and 11 March 2009 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a principal, Lorraine Dooley, and a head of school, Steven Shaw.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school runs an on-site breakfast 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal and the head of school, as well as other senior and subject leaders in school. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative from the local authority. 28 and 29 November 2023

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 The lead inspector met with the chair of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing, history and science. For each deep dive, this involved holding discussions about the curriculum, visiting a sample of lessons, speaking to pupils about their learning and looking at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 reading to a known adult.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects. They looked at the work completed by pupils and spoke to pupils about their learning.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and recreational times. An inspector visited the school breakfast club. Inspectors also spoke with pupils about their experiences of school.  Inspectors took account of the responses from the Ofsted survey for staff and parents. An inspector also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspectors also considered the responses from Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  No pupils completed the Ofsted survey.  Inspectors also considered a range of documentation, including minutes from governing body meetings, attendance records, behaviour logs and information on pupils’ destinations for those who left mid-year.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interest first.

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Inspection team

Sheena Clark, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Kelly Butler Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 November 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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