Murrayfield Primary - A Paradigm Academy

Inspection of Murrayfield Primary - A Paradigm Academy Nacton Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9JL

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

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

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The principal of this school is Claire Willis. The school is part of the Paradigm multi- academy trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Bill Holledge, and overseen by a board of directors, chaired by David Willis. 28 and 29 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love their school. They enjoy learning because teachers are kind and lessons are interesting. Teachers explain things well and help pupils if they get stuck or do not understand something. Teachers’ useful feedback helps pupils to improve their work. Standards are improving because the school has high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. If pupils have gaps in their learning, extra help is given so they rapidly catch up.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is usually good in class, around the school and at breaktimes. Pupils concentrate well on their work. Pupils know and live the school values. They are polite and caring towards each other and to staff. If there is a behaviour issue, the school manages this effectively, so learning is not interrupted. Pupils feel safe at school and are confident to talk to an adult if they are worried.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value their diverse school community. They understand that families are different and enjoy learning about the different cultural backgrounds of their peers. Pupils attend the many before- and after-school clubs. They enjoy the curriculum trips that enhance their learning about different subjects. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain and for the next stage in their education.

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

The school recognised the reasons for pupils’ low results at the end of 2024 in national tests and assessments. There are several mitigating causes, which the school has rapidly addressed. Inspection evidence indicates that most pupils are currently making strong progress through a curriculum that is ambitious and implemented well in most classes. For example, most pupils are working at the level expected for their age in mathematics. They can talk about what they are learning and explain their answers. Teachers check pupils’ learning routinely. They use this information well to plan new learning.

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

Teachers value the regular training and coaching they receive. If teachers need help in how to teach a subject, leaders provide this. However, some teaching needs further improvement as some teachers do not implement the curriculum as effectively as most others. Teachers’ workload is managed well.

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

The school provides effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the school and the special educational needs (SEN) unit. The school makes sure external experts provide staff and pupils with the best advice and help. The specialist class in the main school provides a calm and quiet environment for pupils who find the classroom overwhelming. Staff are well trained in how to support pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND make strong progress in their learning and personal, social and emotional development because of the support they receive.

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

The school has a strong phonics curriculum that is taught consistently and exceptionally well in all year groups. Leaders assess groups frequently to ensure that pupils are moved on or receive extra support when needed. Children in Nursery rapidly learn initial sounds to read simple words. In Reception, children continue to make strong progress, reading 28 and 29 January 2025

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simple books and writing short sentences by the end of the year. Pupils continue their rapid learning of phonics through key stage 1, and most are fluent readers by the end of Year 3. Pupils develop a love of books and reading from the start. The school encourages pupils to read a wide range of authors and to understand what they are reading. Older pupils talk with enthusiasm about their favourite authors and types of books, and why they like them.

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Most staff consistently apply the school’s behaviour policy and have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils value the rewards they receive for good behaviour and learning. Attendance is improving thanks to the stringent systems that are in place to ensure that pupils are in school, on time, every day.

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There is exceptionally strong provision in the early years. Children from all cultures and backgrounds rapidly settle and make strong progress through the early years curriculum because learning topics are fun and engaging. Staff regularly assess progress. Learning questions are carefully devised to help move children’s learning forward. Children readily make friends and quickly learn to work with other children. Behaviour is exemplary. Children sit on their carpet ‘spot’ and listen attentively to their teachers. Transitions from outdoor to indoor learning are seamless. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere throughout the setting.

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The school makes strong provision for pupils’ personal development. There is a wide range of curriculum visits and visitors. Pupils learn about important issues, such as peer pressure, online safety and healthy relationships.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers do not always teach the curriculum in line with the school’s expectations. This means that some pupils do not learn as effectively as the majority. The school should ensure that teaching is consistently effective across all classes.

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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. 28 and 29 January 2025

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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 January 2025

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School details

Website murrayfieldacademy.paradigmtrust.org

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The trust recently reviewed the leadership structure of the school. Two assistant headteachers took up their posts in September 2024.  At the time of the inspection, the school was not using any alternative provision.  The school has a SEN unit for key stage 2 pupils with speech, language and communication needs.  The school has a 26-place nursery for three-year-old children.

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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 an overall effectiveness grade. 28 and 29 January 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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.  During the inspection, inspectors met with senior leaders, teachers and representatives from the Paradigm multi-academy trust.  Inspectors met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead, the attendance officer, the school’s special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and assistant principal in charge of the SEN unit. To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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’ interests first.

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 Inspectors met with the SENCo and scrutinised provision for pupils with SEND. In addition, inspectors met with the assistant principal responsible for the SEN unit and reviewed provision for pupils attending it.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, history, mathematics, music and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke to some parents before school. The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Julie Winyard, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Hemmings Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 January 2025

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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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