Minchinhampton Primary Academy

Inspection of Minchinhampton Primary Academy School Road, Minchinhampton, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 9BP

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

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The headteacher of this school is Nick Moss. The school is part of the Diocese of Gloucester 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), Rachel Howie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Craig Huxley-Jones. 13 and 14 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school strives to do its very best by all pupils. Pupils enjoy learning. The school has high ambition for pupils to learn well, and they do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Pupils understand these well. This starts in the early years. Children in the Nursery quickly learn the routines and expectations. Pupils are polite and well mannered. Disruptions to learning are rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy social times. They appreciate the school environment and the wide range of resources to play with. Pupils know that there are adults to talk to if they have a concern. As a result, pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of community in the school. Compassion threads through the school’s ethos and environment. Staff model this to pupils. Consequently, pupils demonstrate a mature understanding and appreciation of others. They learn to be active citizens. Pupils learn to care about and consider the needs of others both in school and beyond. For example, older pupils learn about sustainable fashion. They raise money for charities. Pupils learn why they are fundraising and how the charity uses the money raised. This helps them to understand the difference that their actions can have.

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

Reading is a priority. Staff help children to foster a love of reading as soon as they start school in the early years. Children listen to a range of stories, rhymes and songs. Across the school, pupils enjoy reading. They talk confidently about the books that they have read and their favourite authors. There has been a focus on teaching strategies to support pupils with learning to read. As a result, teachers deliver the reading curriculum well. Pupils who fall behind quickly receive the support they need to catch up. This helps pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

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

The school has worked with the support of the trust to implement an ambitious curriculum. It is well structured to support pupils to build their knowledge progressively. Pupils have regular opportunities to revisit their previous learning. They remember what they have learned and develop a strong understanding. For example, when learning computing key stage 2 pupils draw upon their prior knowledge about coding to help them to understand their current learning.

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

Teaching checks what pupils know and understand. Teachers identify where there are misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ learning. These are quickly addressed. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same high-quality curriculum as their peers. Staff are well trained to support pupils with SEND and to identify their specific needs. Teachers adapt the curriculum so that pupils with SEND learn the intended knowledge.

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

The school has made changes recently to improve the writing curriculum, including handwriting. However, teaching does not ensure that pupils have sufficient opportunities 13 and 14 May 2025

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to practise and apply their skills in writing. At times, pupils make errors in their writing which are not addressed. Where this happens, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could in writing.

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The school has made improvements to its early years provision. Children play happily with one another. They learn to take turns and share resources. The school is clear about the knowledge it wants children to learn and remember in the early years. However, it does not have rigorous systems in place to check that children are learning in all areas that are important to their development. Many activities are deliberately designed to help children develop their learning. However, some indoor activities do not support children’s development as well as they could. This means, some children are not well prepared for Year 1.

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The school’s work to support pupils’ personal development is exemplary. It goes above and beyond to provide a wide range of opportunities to support pupils’ broader development. There is an extensive range of extracurricular activities to develop pupils’ talents and interests. For instance, orchestra, choir, school productions and photography club. Pupils take part in debates where they learn how to consider people’s opinions that differ from their own. Pupils learn about tolerance, acceptance and difference. They recognise the importance of treating others fairly and kindly. This helps prepare them well for the future.

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The school is a calm and orderly place. Pupils are polite and well-mannered. The school sets clear expectations for attendance. It works closely with families to provide support. The school benefits from strong support from the trust. Trustees and governors have an accurate understanding of the school. They fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teaching does not build pupils’ knowledge of writing, including letter formation, as well as it could. Teachers do not always notice and address writing misconceptions. As a result, some pupils, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, do not achieve as well as they could. The trust should ensure that pupils have sufficient practice to develop their writing knowledge, including their transcription skills, and apply them consistently well in their writing.  At times, the early years provision does not enhance children’s learning well enough. When this happens, children do not develop, consolidate and deepen their learning as well as they could. The trust should ensure that the implementation of the early years’ curriculum supports children to build their knowledge across all areas of the early years’ curriculum and prepares them well for key stage 1. 13 and 14 May 2025

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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). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 October 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Gloucester Academy Trust.

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Information about this school

 There is a before- and after-school club which is managed by the governing body.

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Information about this school

 The school has a pre-school for children aged three and four.

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered and one unregistered alternative provision.

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Gloucester.

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Information about this school

 The school had its last denominational education inspection under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in October 2024. The next section 48 inspection will take place within five school years of that date.

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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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy and assistant headteacher, the deputy CEO, the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders and a group of staff.

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 The lead inspector held meetings with a member of the trust board and a group of governors including the chair of governors.

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and computing. 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. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in writing.

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 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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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View including the free-text comments. Inspector also spoke with parents and carers at the start and the end of the school day. Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Nicky McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lorna Buchanan Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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