Braintcroft E-ACT Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 September 2022

Pupils are both happy and safe at this larger-than-average primary school. Leaders have gone to great lengths to ensure that all feel valued and cared for as members of the school 'family'. Pupils enjoy learning because their teachers provide opportunities that are both meaningful and exciting. Leaders make sure that pupils learn about a variety of careers. They want pupils to have ambitious goals for their future lives and to develop enquiring minds. Leaders have high expectations of everyone. They encourage all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to work towards the same learning goals in each subject. Pupils learn effectively and produce work of high quality because staff are skilled in removing any barriers to pupils' success. Pupils are polite and well behaved. They rarely need to be reminded to follow the high expectations for their conduct and attitudes. This is because all adults play their part in promoting positive behaviour. Incidents of poor behaviour or bullying are uncommon. If they do occur, they are quickly dealt with by any adult that pupils tell. Leaders prioritise celebrating diversity. They make sure everyone feels included. One way that leaders promote this aim is through holding an 'international day'. Pupils excitedly recalled sharing food, music and traditional clothes from their own culture with others.

What the school should improve

• Leaders train and support staff to deliver the systematic synthetic phonics programme as intended. As a result, most staff have the expertise to help pupils learn to read well. A small number of staff are less consistent in utilising strategies to support pupils with decoding. As part of their priority to make sure that all pupils learn to read quickly and fluently, leaders should continue to strengthen all staff's expertise in teaching phonics.
• In some wider curriculum subjects, teachers are less secure in ensuring that pupils develop the knowledge they need to achieve leaders' long-term curriculum goals. This means that, at times, pupils are not always supported to make meaningful links between their prior and current learning. Leaders should continue to provide staff with support and guidance on how to deliver the curriculum and, in turn, make sure that all pupils know and remember more of the intended curriculum.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)