At the beginning of the month, St Blasius Shanklin Church of England Primary were subject to their first Ofsted inspection since becoming an Academy
The inspector found the school to be ‘Good’ in three areas, but the quality of teaching and achievement of pupils ‘Requires Improvement’.
Highlights from the report
Although the overall rating was that the school ‘Requires Improvement’, there were many strengths highlighted in the report.
- This is a swiftly improving academy. The principal is a very strong leader who has ensured other leaders support improvement well.
- Development planning is very effectively focused on remaining weaknesses. The academy is well placed to improve further.
- In all year groups, pupils make good progress in mathematics. At the end of Year 6, attainment in this subject is above average.
- Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make good progress because of the effective programmes of work planned and good teaching.
- The early years provision is good. Children achieve well and the large majority reach a good level of development by the end of the year.
- Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. They are successfully closing the attainment gap on their classmates and other pupils nationally.
- Governors challenge and support the academy’s work successfully. They are well aware of the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.
- Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very successfully. Pupils behave well. They feel safe.
Where the school requires improvement
This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because
- Achievement requires improvement in Years 1 and 2 because pupils in these year groups do not make good progress in reading and writing.
- Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs do not achieve well. Sometimes too much advice is provided on how these pupils should attempt their tasks, which limits their skills. Checks are not made to ensure that the special activities provided support their progress.
- Not all staff consistently follow the academy’s agreed teaching policy.
- The teaching of reading and writing requires improvement in Years 1 and 2. In Year 1 there is insufficient emphasis on developing pupils’ phonic awareness (the sounds letters make in words).
- Until recently, the advice given by staff to pupils in lessons and in marking on how pupils could improve their work was not good.
- Teaching does not always pitch the levels of learning right for pupils of different abilities. Staff do not always extend the learning of the most-able pupils well enough. There is too little emphasis on ensuring that pupils read widely and often.
The Report
