Drapers Mills Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 31 October 2023

Pupils are made to feel welcome and special in this school, where they are greeted personally by their teachers every morning. Pupils rightly feel safe, saying they can talk to adults and post messages in the class 'worry boxes' if they need help. They enjoy their roles as classroom monitors, doing jobs for their teachers and reading to younger pupils in the playground. Leaders make no excuses for the fact that pupils do not attain as well as they should because provision is not currently good enough. They are determined to make the improvements needed so that pupils receive the high-quality education they deserve. Leaders know exactly what must be done and are going about it with vigour and determination. The trust and local governing body are contributing much-needed expertise to ensure that pupils can enjoy school and attend regularly. However, there is more work to be done. The school has raised expectations for behaviour and trained all staff and pupils so that they understand the new standards. Pupils learn how to help themselves feel calm and know which adults to go to for support. Mostly, pupils behave well in lessons and around school. Pupils who find behaviour difficult get the support they need, saying proudly that teachers help them to 'turn their behaviour around'.

What the school should improve

• Not all staff who need it have received training to teach phonics. Because of this, pupils throughout the school who struggle with reading do not consistently get the help they need. The school should continue to develop staff's knowledge and expertise in teaching phonics so that all adults are able to give pupils the expert help they need in reading.
• The school is in the early stages of developing assessment practice. As a result, gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding are not always identified accurately, and the work they are given is too easy or too hard. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment consistently well to identify what pupils need to learn next so that future teaching matches their needs more precisely.
• Pupils' sporadic attendance prevents them from achieving well in school. Some miss out on large parts of the curriculum and have gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that its persistent approach leads to the improvements in attendance that are needed for some pupils.

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