William Read Primary Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: William Read Primary Academy Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0JE

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Outcome

William Read Primary Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The head of school is Tracy Gravely. This school is part of Northwick Park 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 (CEO), Emma Lane, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anthony Wood. There is also an executive headteacher, Emma Lane, who is responsible for this school and two others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

William Read is a friendly and welcoming place. Pupils arrive each morning eager to learn. Staff have positive relationships with pupils. They greet pupils with warm smiles and settle them quickly into learning. Well-established rules help pupils to behave as the school expects. Pupils feel safe. They trust adults to help and look after them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind and caring and look after each other. Pupils have roles and responsibilities that they look forward to such as school council and play leaders. They know these roles help their school to be a happy and harmonious place.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils look forward to the fun activities that the staff prepare. Staff have high expectations for pupils to achieve. Pupils learn a well-balanced curriculum and, as a result, achieve well. Pupils are enthusiastic about sharing what they have learned.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy outdoor learning in the forest school, choir, football and representing their school at a range of events and competitions. The range of extra-curricular activities available to pupils is vast. This helps to nurture pupils’ confidence, aspiration and teamwork outside the classroom.

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

Pupils learn a broad and well-organised curriculum. Since the previous inspection, the 23 and 24 April 2025

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school has strengthened the curriculum further. A wide range of trips and visitors brings learning to life for pupils.

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Ambition is high, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school identifies additional needs quickly. Pupils with SEND receive the support they need to learn successfully. Staff are highly skilled at adapting their teaching strategies to meet pupils’ needs.

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Staff explain learning clearly for pupils. They ensure that pupils get the opportunity to practise tricky concepts and revisit learning. Staff check pupils’ understanding. Typically, pupils build their knowledge and understanding well across the curriculum. However, in some subjects, the curriculum is less developed. The absence of clearly defined key knowledge limits pupils’ ability to recall prior learning and apply subject-specific vocabulary. This is also the case in the early years.

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The school has implemented a well-structured phonics programme, which staff deliver with consistency. Pupils in the Reception Year and Year 1 classes learn to read quickly as a result. Pupils receive effective support to catch up and develop their confidence with reading. Older pupils enjoy reading. They learn to appreciate a wide range of literature. This helps them to understand the world around them.

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From the start of the Reception Year, children learn how to be effective learners. Classroom routines help children to settle and listen attentively. Children learn how to play happily with their peers. They take turns and share resources well.

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Pupils behave well. They are polite and respectful both in the classroom and during unstructured times. Staff establish clear routines from Reception onwards. They consistently reinforce high expectations. Pupils are encouraged to express their feelings and to seek help if they need it.

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The school uses robust systems to identify pupils and families who need support. They work with families and a range of agencies to improve attendance. Attendance is continuing to improve as a result.

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The school offers a rich programme for pupils’ personal development. Pupils value their leadership roles and responsibilities. Pupils embrace new experiences. They benefit from a range of opportunities, including clubs, music lessons, workshops and educational visits. Pupils particularly enjoyed representing the school at the most recent panathlon event.

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Trustees and governors share the school’s vision to provide the very best for every pupil. They support and challenge the school to improve the quality of education further. There is a clear trajectory of improvement in outcomes and provision. Staff feel well supported by leaders. They value the school’s team ethos and the support they receive to fulfil their roles effectively. They are happy and proud to work in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 23 and 24 April 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the curriculum, key knowledge has not been identified. As a result, some pupils do not develop a secure understanding of important knowledge including vocabulary. The school needs to ensure that key knowledge is clearly defined in the curriculum so that teachers know the most important content that pupils must learn.

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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.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, William Read Primary School and Nursery, to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2014.

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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. 23 and 24 April 2025

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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). 23 and 24 April 2025

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School details

Headteacher Emma Lane (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Northwick Park Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  William Read Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in September 2022. When its predecessor school, William Read Primary and Nursery School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.

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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.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the executive headteacher and other senior leaders. 23 and 24 April 2025

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 The inspector met with members of the governing body include the chair of governors  The inspector looked at curriculum documentation, 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 inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. They also considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including comments submitted via the free-text facility. The inspector also spoke to some parents in person.  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 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

Nerrissa Bear, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 April 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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