An Ofsted inspection of West Town Primary Academy found that it continues to be a ‘Good’ school.
The school was inspected by Ofsted on 14th and 15th December 2022 and inspectors found there has been no change to the school’s overall judgement as ‘Good’ – a rating it has held since 2017.
The report, which was published this week, praised the school for being a safe learning environment, with leaders who are supportive, caring and ensure an ambitious, well-designed, curriculum is in place that meets the needs of all pupils.
The report noted that: “Pupils treat each other with respect and are accepting of difference. Pupils learn all about the habits of work, ethics, learning and skills. They know these as their ‘howels’ and say they enable you to ‘get smart’, ‘try hard’ and ‘be kind’.”
Pupils feel happy and safe in school and if they ever do have a concern or worry then they feel confident to raise with staff who follow it up.
Hannah Quinn, Headteacher at West Town Primary Academy, said: “We are incredibly proud of this Ofsted report, which highlights the hard work and successes of our colleagues, our pupils, and their families. We could not have achieved this result without their support and have a shared and sustained vision to continue to build on this success.
“At West Town Primary Academy we strive to create caring, thoughtful and passionate pupils. We are pleased that Ofsted reflected on the friendly and positive ethos shown at our school from both staff and pupils throughout this report.”
This was the school’s first full inspection since the Covid-19 pandemic began and the overall grade and consistent progress have given the local community a school to be really proud of.
The report praised the academy for its creative and enriching curriculum: “Trips and experiences help bring their learning alive. For example, in history, they visit a castle as part of learning about the Battle of Hastings. There are high expectations for everyone to achieve well.”
“Leaders carefully plan the key knowledge they want pupils to learn over time. This begins in early years, where children build a secure foundation for future learning. For example, in mathematics, children get lots of early opportunities to learn about number and problem solve. This provides the foundation they need to understand more complex mathematical concepts as they progress through the school.”
The support in place for SEND pupils at the school was another focus of the report with inspectors commenting: “The needs of pupils with SEND are identified accurately. Leaders have trained teachers in making appropriate adaptations for pupils with SEND, so they can access the same curriculum. Where pupils’ needs are more complex, specialist provision is provided.”
Another area of success identified by inspectors was the academy’s extra-curricular curriculum. Inspectors reported: “Pupils learn about issues such as different types of families, mental and physical well-being and how to deal with strong emotions through a well-planned programme of personal, social and health education. There is a range of opportunities for them to pursue their talents and interests, such as sports competitions, drama showcases and a Lego club.”
Lesley Birch, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Trust, said: “I would like to congratulate all our colleagues at West Town Primary Academy who have played a key role in achieving this excellent Ofsted grade. We are all very proud of the school and the special place it holds within the local community.
“We are also delighted that the school is demonstrating our Meridian Trust values and our commitment to providing a high-quality education for all at the heart of our local communities.”
West Town Primary Academy joined Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust in 2014, which then merged with Cambridge Primary Education Trust to become Meridian Trust in April 2022.
Meridian Trust received recognition in the report for supporting the school on its continual growth journey with the report stating: “The school is well-led and managed. The trust provides effective additional capacity to both challenge and support school leaders. This includes practical support, such as trust subject specialists working with school leaders to refine and redevelop curriculum plans.”