'Happy and welcoming' Staffordshire primary school welcomes inspection results

Alsagers Bank Primary Academy, latest inspection report has just been published, following a recent Ofsted visit.

The school was found to have maintained the standards it achieved during the last inspection, which took place at its predecessor The Richard Heathcote Community Primary School in 2017. At that time the school was rated as good.

School staff were advised in the latest report to ensure pupils had learned information “to help them progress through the wider curriculum as successfully as they do in English and mathematics.”.

The report said: “A minority of pupils have not yet secured prior learning or vocabulary in the foundation subjects. This means they find it difficult to recall the key knowledge they need for new learning to take place.”

But the report added that children “achieve well and enjoy a broad range of subjects and wider opportunities”. It said: “Alsagers Bank Primary Academy is a happy and welcoming school where all pupils work hard to achieve their best.

“The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

“Pupils are highly motivated and have very positive attitudes towards their learning. They build positive relationships with staff and each other; this creates a culture of care and mutual respect.

“Through a wide variety of pupil leadership roles, pupils are able to make a positive contribution to their school and local community. For example, ‘Eco-Leaders’ collect litter around the school and local area – they promote recycling and plant trees and flowers to ‘make the air cleaner’.

“Reading is a high priority; any pupils who fall behind are provided with the extra help they need to become fluent readers. Staff carefully consider the books pupils read, ensuring they experience a range of books that promote diversity and equality.

“Pupils take great pride in these opportunities. For example, Year 6 pupils spoke enthusiastically about performing Shakespeare’s King Lear at the local theatre.”

Alsagers Bank Primary Academy is part of The Societas Trust, which runs other primary schools across Newcastle Borough and Stoke-on Trent. These include Ash Green, Carmountside and Gladstone Primary Academies.

Alsagers Bank Primary Academy Headteacher Lisa Chell said: “We are delighted that Ofsted has recognised the positive culture of care, learning and mutual respect in our school and our contribution to the local community.”

Jon Lovatt, Chief Executive Officer at The Societas Trust, added: “It is very rewarding to me that Ofsted has also recognised a clear culture of collaboration across the trust, and that staff value the support they receive and are proud to work at the school.”