Laureate Community Academy

Inspection of Laureate Community Academy Exning Road, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 0AN

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 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 Good Previous inspection grade Good

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The co-headteachers of this school are David Perkins and Catherine Dalton. This school is part of the Unity Schools Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Tim Coulson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christine Quinn. 14 and 15 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff at Laureate Community Academy shine. They are proud of their school. Pupils attend school every day because they do not want to miss their peers or new learning. Those pupils who are new to the school quickly make friends and have the support they need to settle and thrive. Everyone understands what it means to belong and be a member of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning an ambitious curriculum. They use and apply what they learn in English and mathematics across other areas of the curriculum. They live up to the high expectations of staff, and most achieve well. They are eager to do well and improve their work. Older pupils are well prepared for their transition to secondary school, although they say they will miss their friends and the staff at Laureate.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are confident that, when problems arise, there is always an adult they can speak to. Pupils understand the importance of mental and physical health. Pupils know how to stay safe. Older pupils know why it is important to use their tablets and other devices responsibly. Pupils’ well-being is a priority. Pupils care about each other and treat each other with respect.

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

The school knows and understands its changing context and community. Leaders have considered how the curriculum and the breadth of experiences and opportunities on offer prepare pupils 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?

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Staff have deliberately chosen the books that pupils encounter as they progress through the school. These texts enable pupils to develop awareness of other cultures, faiths and families. They expand pupils’ vocabulary and support their understanding and learning across a range of subjects. By the time pupils leave school, they have read a wide range of classic and modern literature.

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

Early reading is a priority. All staff have had training in delivering the school’s phonics programme. Pupils are familiar with the routines and expectations. There are opportunities during the day for pupils to practise and revise sounds they may not have fully grasped in the main lesson. Pupils who fall behind with reading have targeted support. This helps them to catch up quickly.

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

Staff use assessment to identify emerging needs and barriers to learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have well-planned support. Adaptations and scaffolds enable pupils to achieve ambitious endpoints. Staff know when to step in and provide support and when to step back and encourage pupils to be independent. There is a focus on developing and extending pupils’ vocabulary.

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

Staff provide guidance to pupils to help them improve their work. Sometimes, this is not accurate enough, and pupils do not have time to respond. As a result, pupils do not learn 14 and 15 January 2025

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as much as they could in some subjects. This is because misconceptions are not addressed quickly enough.

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In the early years, children are confident and settled. Staff have adapted and refined the curriculum this year. The provision is well planned. The newly developed outdoor area provides spaces to read and share stories as well as for climbing and exploring nature. Skilled staff ensure that interactions prompt children to think and talk about what they are learning. Children learn how to look after the resources and to negotiate and compromise with others.

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Pupils’ personal development is a strength. A wide range of trips and visits enhance the curriculum. Pupils make decisions about the clubs on offer. There are opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles and contribute to school improvements. The mental health of staff and pupils is a priority. Adults model to pupils the importance of relationships built on mutual respect and trust. Pupils are inclusive and value the diversity of the school population.

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Leaders ensure that all staff have the time, training and support they need to be effective in their roles. Subject leaders are knowledgeable about their areas of the curriculum. There are opportunities to work with other leaders across the trust and learn from other schools. Staff at all stages in their careers have the support they need to enable pupils to succeed. Trust leaders know the school well and provide effective challenge and support. Collaboration and compassion are hallmarks of how the school works.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not always spot or address misconceptions in pupils’ work. This means pupils do not receive guidance that shows them how to improve their work. As a result, they repeat mistakes and these become embedded. The school needs to ensure that teachers identify misconceptions promptly and provide effective guidance to help pupils address these.

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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. 14 and 15 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). 14 and 15 January 2025

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School details

Headteacher David Perkins (Co-headteacher), Catherine Dalton (Co-headteacher) Website www.laureateacademy.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Unity Schools Partnership.  The school does not use alternative provision.  Since the previous inspection, the school has extended its nursery provision to two- year-olds.

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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. 14 and 15 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.  The inspectors met with the co-headteachers, the senior leadership team, the special educational needs coordinator, trust improvement directors, the CEO and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also discussed the curriculum and provision for pupils with SEND, and

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sampled work from other areas of the curriculum.  Inspectors considered the responses and free-text responses submitted by parents to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also gathered parents’ views by speaking to them at the start of the school day.  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’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Oriana Dalton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Laura Hewer Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 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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