Sprites Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 November 2022

Pupils experience a rich and varied curriculum at Sprites, which goes well beyond the academic. They have access to a very wide range of extra-curricular experiences. Pupils love their learning and talk very excitedly about the topics covered and activities done. Pupils are expected to behave, and they do. They are clear about the school's 'life values', which encourage them to be 'safe, polite and aspirational'. Pupils understand how these will help them to be good citizens of the future. The school has grown to be a close-knit community. Pupils really enjoy events such as their 'colour run' and fireworks, which involve parents as well. There is very little bullying. Pupils are clear that the adults would treat this very seriously and sort it out quickly if it happened. Pupils feel valued by staff. If they are worried, or finding things too much, pupils enjoy spending time in the 'Thrive' room or reading and playing with the school dog. Children in the early years learn the skills to be independent and enthusiastic learners quickly.

What the school should improve

• Pupils' writing is not always of good quality. Their handwriting is too often erratic, and what they write does not always reflect their level of understanding. Leaders need to ensure that pupils are taught to write neatly, and in enough detail to show what they know.
• The individual 'maps to success' plans for pupils with SEND are not precise enough. They do not clearly show how the needs of pupils are to be met. This means that what teachers plan for does not always exactly match pupils' intended next step. Leaders need to ensure that staff are trained to develop plans that specify more precisely how staff will support pupils.

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