Waterloo Primary Academy

Strengths

• Early years leadership and provision are highly effective, giving children a strong start.
• Phonics and reading are taught well, helping pupils read fluently and develop a love of reading.
• Pupils typically achieve well, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Disadvantaged pupils’ progress has improved notably, including in national tests and wider opportunities.
• Attendance processes are robust and persistent absence has begun to reduce.
• Behaviour culture has been transformed; pupils are kind, polite and resilient.
• Pupils feel safe and cared for, and bullying is rare and dealt with effectively.
• The curriculum has been redesigned to be rich, relevant and engaging.
• Staff receive effective professional learning and are proud to work at the school.
• SEND support is well led, with bespoke support including the ‘Hive’.
• Personal development is a key priority, with wide opportunities, clubs and wellbeing support.
• Leadership and governance have an accurate view of the school and provide appropriate support and challenge.
• Pupils benefit from strong pastoral care and learn to keep safe and healthy.
• Safeguarding standards are met and there is an open culture of safeguarding.

Areas for Improvement

• Learning tasks are not consistently matched to some pupils’ needs and starting points.
• Pupils’ gaps and misconceptions are not always addressed swiftly in lessons.
• This inconsistency slows the progress that some pupils make through the curriculum.
• Some older pupils have legacy gaps in knowledge that at times hinder their achievement.
• Persistent absence remains above national, and a small number of pupils still miss too many days of school.
• Overall absence remains above the national average.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools