Sandbach Primary Academy

Inspection of Sandbach Primary Academy Crewe Road, Sandbach, Cheshire CW11 4NS

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

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The headteacher of this school is Claire Caldwell. This school is part of the Aspire Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Kevin Simpson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sue Bowen. 1 and 2 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, enjoy coming to this friendly and welcoming school. The school teaches pupils the importance of kindness and respect. Pupils demonstrate these in their behaviour towards others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils play their part in contributing to the school’s caring community through their roles as ‘happiness heroes’. Staff know pupils and their families well and foster trusting relationships. Pupils’ conduct embodies the school’s values of nurture, respect, determination and achieve. Pupils behave responsibly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Typically, pupils achieve well across the curriculum. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), leave the school well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s extra-curricular activities on offer support pupils to develop resilience and independence. Pupils excitedly shared their experiences from after-school club and their recent residentials. Pupils relish taking on responsibilities in roles such as ambassadors and ‘safety officers’. They were especially proud of their recent project to promote cleaner air as well as the trust’s speech competition.

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

The school has successfully fostered a love of reading and created a buzz among the pupils. They take great pleasure in choosing their books from the school library. Pupils feel excited to learn about new authors, and they revel in supporting each other to find books to enjoy. Across the school, staff encourage pupils to read a wide range of texts.

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

In the two-year-old provision, children learn songs and rhymes and they carefully listen to the sounds around them. Staff use picture books to engage children well as they move through the early years. Children are ready to start learning phonics as soon as they enter the Reception class. Staff provide timely support for pupils who find reading more difficult. This helps these pupils to quickly catch up with their peers and to read with accuracy. Staff benefit from effective training that develops the knowledge and skills required to help pupils become confident readers in readiness for Year 1 and beyond.

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

The school has carefully organised the curriculum so that it is well thought out and aspirational. In a couple of subjects, including some areas of learning in the early years, the school is still determining the most important knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that occasionally, staff find it difficult to design learning that helps pupils to build their knowledge securely.

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

During lessons, staff typically check to ensure that pupils understand recent learning before introducing new concepts. Staff identify and address pupils’ misconceptions successfully. However, in a few subjects, the school is not as adept at checking pupils’ prior learning before introducing new information. At times, some pupils do not recall their learning over time as accurately as they should. 1 and 2 October 2024

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Pupils know and follow classroom routines. They are committed to their learning. This starts at the beginning of the early years, where staff support children to develop useful learning behaviours such as cooperation and determination. The school has trained staff in recognising and supporting pupils with SEND. Staff ensure that classrooms are welcoming environments for these pupils. Pupils with SEND receive the additional help that they need to progress well through the curriculum.

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The school’s work to improve attendance has been remarkable. It is a high priority. For the very small number of pupils who need support, the school takes effective action to improve their attendance. As a result, most pupils attend well.

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The school prepares pupils effectively for their future lives. The personal development programme supports pupils’ wider development and threads through subject curriculums. For example, in mathematics, pupils learn how to manage money. Pupils value the many educational trips on offer and visitors to school which enhance the academic curriculum and bring learning to life. Many pupils spoke enthusiastically about learning outdoors and making delicious food in the school’s cooking club. Pupils develop their skills through a range of leadership roles. This enables pupils to contribute to the smooth running of the school.

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Those responsible for governance bring expertise to their roles. They focus on the professional development of school staff. Staff feel well supported by the school and value the collegiate atmosphere. They know that their open relationship with the trust is beneficial. It brings expertise into the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a couple of subjects, the school is not checking that pupils retain knowledge over time. This means that some gaps in learning are not addressed, and pupils do not make connections between prior knowledge and new learning. The school should support teachers in using assessment strategies sufficiently well so that they accurately identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding.  In a small number of subjects, including some areas of learning in the early years, the school is not sufficiently clear about the most important knowledge that should be learned. This makes it difficult for teachers to design learning activities that build on what pupils already know. This means that in some places, this hinders pupils from gaining the depth of knowledge that they should. The school should refine its curriculum thinking in these subjects and areas of learning to enable pupils to develop

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

a deep and rich body of subject knowledge. 1 and 2 October 2024

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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.

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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). 1 and 2 October 2024

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School details

Website www.sandbach-pri.cheshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 February 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 Sandbach Primary Academy converted to become an academy in March 2015 and is part of the Aspire Academy Trust.  Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are taught in mixed-age classes.  The school runs a before- and after-school club for pupils.  The school has provision for two-year-olds.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given 1 and 2 October 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. They met with subject leaders and with teachers. Inspectors visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning.  The lead inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects. They met with leaders, spoke with pupils and reviewed pupils’ work in these subjects.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the local governing body and the board of trustees. They also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors met with leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documentation relating to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of the responses to the online parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Helen Friend, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jake Nicklin Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

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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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