Priorslee Academy

Priorslee Academy

Address: Priorslee Avenue, Priorslee, Telford, Shropshire, TF2 9RS Unique reference number (URN): 136439

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend consistently. Leaders have created a positive culture around this. Pupils who maintain high levels of attendance are invited to the 'Always Club', where they can enjoy a free brunch. This helps them feel valued and motivated. Leaders recognise improvements through rewards, including certificates, which pupils appreciate. Staff monitor patterns carefully and act quickly when concerns arise. They provide timely support, including wellbeing visits and work with external services to address barriers. As a result, few pupils are persistently absent, including those with additional needs.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave generally well in lessons and engage positively with their learning. At times, some pupils lose focus and become distracted. Around school, pupils move calmly and sensibly. The playground is orderly, with pupils of all ages sharing equipment and playing cooperatively. They include others in activities, for example when older pupils organise games at lunchtime. Bullying is uncommon. Leaders record and follow up incidents carefully, and pupils say staff deal with concerns effectively. Staff know pupils well and use appropriate strategies, such as providing time to talk with a trusted adult, to help individuals re ‑ engage in learning quickly.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have strengthened all aspects of early years provision. Leaders identify priorities accurately and provide effective support and training for staff. As a result, teaching is becoming more consistent and more children than previously are acquiring the knowledge and skills they need for Year 1.

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Early years Expected standard

The curriculum is ambitious and carefully sequenced. Indoor and outdoor experiences engage children well and promote curiosity and independence. Adults typically plan purposeful activities and use effective interactions to build children's knowledge over time. For example, children confidently selected an ice cream and topping from a menu, placed their order and paid using coins or cards. This helped children develop vocabulary alongside their early mathematical understanding. Phonics is taught well and helps children secure the appropriate early reading skills.

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Early years Expected standard

Regular communication with parents and carers supports a smooth start to school life. Nurturing relationships between staff and children help children feel safe and secure. Well- established routines enable children to settle quickly and engage in learning with confidence. Staff increasingly adapt activities for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This enables these children to take part fully in learning alongside their peers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The head of school and the acting chief executive officer know the school well. Following changes in school and trust leadership and governance, they have provided clarity and stability during a period of significant transition.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and those responsible for governance understand what the school does well and where it needs to improve. Governors and trustees fulfil their roles effectively. They check key information carefully and provide appropriate challenge, ensuring leaders remain focused on improving outcomes for pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders' actions have improved pupils' experience in several key areas. Reading is taught well. Pupils learn to read confidently. Mathematics teaching has improved and pupils are increasingly securing important knowledge. Improved attendance systems mean pupils attend regularly. Changes to behaviour support and pastoral care have reduced suspensions. Leaders recognise that teaching and the wider curriculum are not yet consistent. Actions to address this are underway.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders place pupils' needs at the heart of their work. They check the attendance and behaviour for different groups and respond quickly when concerns arise. However, checks on teaching and the curriculum do not yet ensure consistent practice across all classes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff benefit from a wide range of training and support, including from the trust they are currently working with. Most staff feel well supported and appreciate leaders' approach to managing workload. Leaders work well with families and external professionals to support pupils. Parents speak positively about the school and value its welcoming atmosphere.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school's well-considered personal development programme revisits key themes, such as kindness, resilience and respect, through assemblies, discussions and themed events. As a result, pupils understand the importance of positive values and apply these in their interactions with others, for example through respectful play and when working with others in the classroom. Pupils understand the importance of British values. They learn about democracy, for instance, by voting for the school council and representing their classmates. This helps them to understand how decisions are made outside of school. Through visits to places of worship and activities linked to Easter and Diwali, for example, pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. These experiences deepen their understanding.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff create a caring environment where pupils feel safe, happy and included. Pupils say adults listen to them and help them manage their feelings. The pastoral lead provides highly effective and targeted support, such as emotional coaching. This helps pupils who may have concerns or are going through difficult times to take part fully in school life. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and know who to speak with if they need help. Pupils learn how to stay safe through the school's programme for relationships, health and safety. They develop a secure understanding of online, road and water safety. Staff teach pupils about healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way. This helps pupils understand boundaries and respectful behaviour.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

A broad range of opportunities help to build pupils' confidence and develop a sense of responsibility. Pupils enjoy taking on roles such as prefects and school councillors. They value the opportunities they have to contribute to school life. Pupils access a broad range of clubs, visits and activities, including musical and sporting event. Leaders monitor

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Needs attention

participation to ensure all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, access the school's enrichment offer.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not achieve as well as they should in some subjects across the wider curriculum. As a result, some pupils are not fully prepared for the next steps of their education. Pupils do not consistently develop sufficient depth of knowledge and struggle to recall prior learning. Leaders have begun to refine the wider curriculum to address these weaknesses. However, it is too soon to see the full impact of these changes.

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Achievement Needs attention

Progress in writing is inconsistent. Although leaders' actions are starting to strengthen writing, too many pupils produce work that is not of a high quality because of weaknesses in handwriting and spelling. In contrast, pupils read fluently and make steady progress in mathematics.

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Achievement Needs attention

The oldest pupils in the school secure key knowledge across the curriculum. By the time they leave, they achieve in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The quality of teaching is too variable, particularly in the wider curriculum. As a result, not all pupils secure the knowledge they need for future learning. Leaders recognise this and are taking appropriate action to strengthen both the curriculum and the quality of teaching. They have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that clearly sets out the knowledge pupils should learn and remember over time. Furthermore, leaders are ensuring that staff access ongoing professional development to improve consistency.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Adaptations to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not always precise enough. At times, this prevents pupils from learning as well as they should. Teachers explain concepts clearly and help pupils to use the correct subject vocabulary to explain their thinking.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

In some classes, errors in pupils' handwriting and spelling are not consistently addressed. This results in some pupils making slower progress in writing. The teaching of early reading is a strength. Phonics is taught consistently well and staff provide prompt support for pupils who need to catch up. In mathematics, pupils apply number knowledge confidently. For example, pupils demonstrated a secure understanding of number calculations when selecting items to fit within a set weight while packing a suitcase.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders and staff know pupils well and work closely with families and external professionals to support those who face additional barriers to making progress, including pupils known to social care. Leaders are strengthening systems to identify and assess the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) more quickly and to check their progress more carefully. Leaders have prioritised staff training to improve understanding of pupils' needs. However, staff do not apply this understanding consistently across classes. At times, for example, teachers do not adapt learning precisely to meet pupils' needs. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not consistently make the progress they are capable of.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff provide effective one-to-one support for pupils who need to catch up. They use practical resources well to explain new ideas and help pupils complete their work. This support helps individual pupils to address gaps in their knowledge and build confidence in their learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders use additional funding to help disadvantaged pupils strengthen their knowledge and skills, improve attendance and access enrichment opportunities. However, variation in classroom practice means that barriers to learning are not reduced consistently. As a result, some disadvantaged pupils make uneven progress across the curriculum.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel part of Priorslee's friendly and welcoming community. They describe positive relationships with staff, saying adults listen and offer help when needed.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Older pupils demonstrate secure knowledge across the curriculum and achieve well. Learning in the rest of the school is variable. Pupils read regularly and talk about books they enjoy. In lessons, many explain their mathematical thinking clearly. In contrast, some pupils do not secure basic writing skills or build knowledge in enough depth in wider curriculum subjects. This means pupils do not achieve as well as they should in some subjects and are not as well prepared as they could be for the next stage of learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is mixed. Pupils with SEND take part in all aspects of school life. Extra help in small groups or individually supports their learning effectively. However, in some lessons, work is not closely matched to pupils' needs. This limits how well pupils with SEND develop their knowledge and skills over time.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils show consideration for one another. They usually conduct themselves well in lessons. They play harmoniously at social times. Bullying is rare and pupils are confident that adults will help them if needed. Pupils attend regularly and understand the importance of coming to school each day.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe, including when using technology. They learn about respect and responsibility through everyday routines. Pupils enjoy a range of wider opportunities, including football, art and cooking clubs. They take pride in seeing their personal achievements displayed on the 'wow wall'. They value visits to the local care home, where they read and talk with residents. These experiences help pupils build confidence and feel part of the community.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified quickly and that teaching is consistently adapted to meet their needs so they make the progress they are capable of. Leaders should ensure that teaching is consistently effective across all year groups so that pupils build knowledge securely over time and achieve well across different subjects. Leaders should ensure that improvements to writing and the wider curriculum are embedded consistently so that pupils build, revisit and deepen their knowledge over time. Leaders at all levels, including those responsible for governance, should continue to refine the use of monitoring and evaluation so that variation in practice is identified and addressed quickly.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Mighty Oaks Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the acting chief executive officer, Ian Hunt, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Fiona Stagg.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with the head of school, other leaders and a range of staff and pupils. They met with the acting chief executive officer and with representatives from the board of trustees and the local academy committee. The inspector also met with representatives of a trust that is currently working with the school.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school has experienced significant changes in leadership and governance since the last inspection. Following the changes in school and trust leadership, the head of school and the acting chief executive officer have overseen the school's work since September 2025. Governance has been restructured, with all trustees and almost all members of the local academy committee new to their roles this academic year.

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About this inspection

The school does not use alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

Ellen Taylor, Ofsted Inspector Andrew Tilley, Ofsted Inspector Luke Bridges, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England. Head of school : Jodie Cooper National average: 300

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (final) 61% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 66% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 78% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 69% 74% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 38% 46% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 50% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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gap

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.1% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.3% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 9.8% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 14.4% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 13.6% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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