Knighton Mead Primary Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Knighton Mead Primary Academy Knighton Fields Road West, Leicester, Leicestershire LE2 6LG

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Outcome

Knighton Mead Primary Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Rebecca Smith. This school is part of The Mead Educational Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Sarah Ridley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anthony Glover.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Knighton Mead Primary Academy is a warm and welcoming school. Staff have created a culture of high expectations, rooted in the school’s values of ‘be kind, work hard and strive for excellence’. Pupils typically achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make new arrivals and visitors feel part of the school community. This is because they care about each other and celebrate differences in this diverse school. At social times, pupils enjoy spending time with their friends. Pupil ‘play leaders’ are on hand to distribute play equipment. They help younger pupils to play games and learn new skills. This has further developed the strong sense of belonging in this highly inclusive school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s high expectations of pupils’ behaviour are consistently applied by staff. This has a positive impact on behaviour around the school. Pupils behave well. There are warm relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils know that their teachers will always help them. As a result, they feel happy and safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value opportunities to be active citizens in school. For example, pupils have ‘jobs’ such as running the ‘Snack Shack’ and raising money for local charities. These opportunities develop pupils’ character and help to prepare them for their next steps in education. 11 and 12 March 2025

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has reviewed some curriculum subjects. The school has worked out the knowledge that pupils need to learn and when. The curriculum has been sequenced in a way which allows pupils to make sense of new learning by building on what they have been taught previously. The school has made some changes to the English curriculum. These have started to improve pupils’ writing overall. However, there are some inconsistencies in how well the early writing curriculum is implemented. This affects how well some pupils build up their early writing skills, including letter formation. Some children in the early years benefit from well-considered help to support their language and communication development. Staff use their expertise well to help children to learn and use new words accurately across the curriculum. This supports children in the early years to be well prepared for future learning.

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

The school identifies pupils’ additional needs effectively. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a particular strength of the school. It ensures that any barriers to pupils’ learning are considered so that pupils can access learning. However, in some subjects, staff do not adapt the curriculum sufficiently well enough to meet the needs of some disadvantaged pupils as well as some pupils who have English as an additional language. When this happens, these pupils do not learn as much as they could.

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

Reading is prioritised throughout the school. Children in early years have daily phonics lessons. The teaching of phonics is effective and supports pupils to read fluently. Staff provide effective additional support and catch up for pupils who need it. Pupils read books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge. Consequently, pupils achieve well in reading.

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

Improvements in the management of pupils’ behaviour mean the number of suspensions has reduced. The school has a harmonious and calm environment, including during social times. Pupils are engaged in lessons and learning is rarely disrupted. Pupils treat each other with respect and friendliness around school. The school manages attendance well. This is because it works effectively to support families to overcome barriers to regular attendance.

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

The school teaches pupils, in an age-appropriate way, about themselves and others. For example, pupils find out about different faiths and different types of family. They learn about topics such as equality and diversity. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and make good use of them. These nurture their talents and interests. Pupils’ aspirations are developed routinely, for example through visits to local universities. Pupils welcome the trips and visits they experience to extend their understanding of the curriculum, such as exploring the stone age at Cresswell Crags or visiting different places of worship. They benefit from listening to visitors to the school, such as members of the emergency services.

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

Trustees, trust leaders and governors have strong systems to evaluate, support and challenge the school’s work. The trust provides effective support where needed while 11 and 12 March 2025

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ensuring that the school keeps its distinctive ethos and values. Decisions are made in the best interests of the pupils. Staff hold very positive views about how the school supports their well-being and manages their workload. Staff highly value the professional development opportunities and collaboration across the trust.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, staff do not adapt the curriculum sufficiently well enough to meet the needs of some disadvantaged pupils, as well as some pupils with English as an additional language. This affects how well some pupils learn the curriculum in these subjects. The school should ensure that, where this is the case, teaching is adjusted appropriately for these pupils so that they learn well.  There are some inconsistencies in how well the school’s early writing curriculum is implemented. This affects how well some pupils secure the foundations for writing, such as accurate letter formation. The school should ensure that these aspects of the writing curriculum are delivered consistently well so that pupils’ foundational skills are secure for future learning.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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. 11 and 12 March 2025

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Knighton Fields Primary School and Community Centre, to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2016.

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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 May 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The principal and vice-principal took up their posts in August 2023. The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator took up her post in January 2024.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school offers a breakfast club run by the school.

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Information about this inspection

 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered 11 and 12 March 2025

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also observed pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 read to a familiar adult.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and breaktimes. She also spoke with pupils about their views of school life.  The inspector met with the trust leaders, representatives of the local academy council, the principal, other leaders and staff.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including information published on the school’s website, attendance and behaviour records, records in relation to governance of the school, school development plans and the school’s self-evaluation document.  The inspector considered the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent

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Inspection team

Anne Maingay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 March 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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