Lacey Gardens Junior Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 February 2023

This is a happy school where everyone gets on well. The relationships between adults and pupils are consistently positive. As one group of pupils told the inspector: 'Our teachers are just the best. They are always there when we need them.' Pupils behave well during lessons and around school. They understand how the school's 'Bee-haviours for learning and life' help prepare them for life. As one pupil said: 'These teach us how to get on with each other and to work hard.' Pupils value the rewards on offer. They are motivated by the certificates that they can earn for being 'bees of the week'. The 'hot chocolate' celebration is highly prized. Pupils who need help to live up to the school's high expectations get the help they need. The care team is always on hand to provide help and support. Pupils make a positive contribution to their school. Happiness ambassadors are recruited to help other pupils 'restore and repair' any conflicts that might occur. They wear their golden jumpers and lanyards with pride. Other roles, such as academy parliamentarians, mini police and the school nutrition action group, ensure that, over time, pupils get to take on leadership responsibilities.

What the school should improve

• The school's reading curriculum does not make clear which aspects of reading pupils are expected to have mastered at precise points in their education. This means that leaders cannot be sure that pupils are acquiring the reading curriculum as systematically as they could. Leaders should ensure that the reading curriculum consistently makes clear which aspects of reading pupils are expected to have mastered at each stage of their education.
• A small number of foundation subjects do not make clear the specific content that pupils are expected to know and remember. As a result, in these subjects, there are some inconsistencies in how well pupils remember what they have learned. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum, across all subjects, makes clear the most important content that pupils are expected to know and remember.
• Pupils do not consistently report incidents of homophobic, derogatory behaviour. As a result, a few incidents go unchallenged. Leaders should ensure that all pupils know why this type of behaviour should not be tolerated and that all incidents should be reported.

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