Pupils and staff create magical moments together confirms Ofsted

Birley Primary Academy has been praised in its latest Ofsted inspection report for the support it provides to both pupils and staff.

While the school – which is part of the L.E.A.D. Academy Trust family of schools – did not receive an overall judgment, Ofsted confirmed it has taken action to maintain the standards identified previously, in which it was found to be ‘Good’.

The report praises the school for its efforts to support pupils’ development both academically and socially, describing how the school “embraces learning” and has “high ambitions for all pupils”. Inspectors also noted how pupils “respond to this ambition by working hard”, producing work of “high quality”.

Key highlights from the report include:

• Learning “is a joint enterprise” at the school.
• Birley Primary Academy received praise for how “reading is integral to all that happens in the school”, and “corridors, classrooms, and outside spaces allow pupils to see reading come alive”. “Staff provide help for those who struggle with reading quickly and effectively”.
• Staff and pupils “work together and trust each other”, and “pupils behave extremely well”. The children “feel empowered to share their feelings”. They listen to each other’s views respectfully.
• Staff at the school “work hard to understand the needs of individual pupils” and the school “sweeps individual barriers to learning aside”. This “helps pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to access the curriculum”. The school “adapts the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEND”.
• Pupils “have many opportunities to develop existing talents and explore new ones”. Pupils are “proud of the role they play in the community”; visits to care homes, litter picking and promoting good parking habits near school “give them a sense of social responsibility”.
• The school’s personal development offer is “very strong”. Pupils have a clear understanding of different faiths and religions.
• The report praises the school’s “many activities that boost pupils’ grasp of social and economic issues”, such as ‘Aspire Day’. On this day, pupils come to school dressed as people who work in a profession, they aspire to work in. Adults from over twenty industries visit the school. They talk to pupils about their jobs and what their industries do.
• The staff and leaders at Birley Primary Academy “are united in their efforts to make a positive difference for pupils and the community”. They “see the value of pupils as individuals”, and staff told the inspector they “feel lucky to work with Birley’s pupils”.
• The school’s governors “have an extensive understanding of the school”. The impact of their support is evident in “the harmonious learning atmosphere enjoyed by staff and pupils”.