Battle Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that has improved rapidly and continues to do so. Pupils know this.

They talk positively about the new things they learn and the new things they do. They know that their teachers expect a lot and are keen to impress in all they do. Their progress through the school's curriculum is strong.

Pupils are not afraid to make mistakes. One telling conversation with a pupil revealed that she feels that staff give her friends 'the confidence to succeed'. Pupils are proud of their work, even when it is not quite perfect 'but nearly'.

They know that staff are there to help when learning gets tough. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilitie...s (SEND) are also supported well. Because of this, levels of trust are high, and all pupils engage in learning well.

Pupils' attitudes to school are highly positive. They feel that their school is a friendly place. They frown on poor behaviour, though acknowledge this is relatively rare.

They feel safe here. The levels of attendance of all pupils are high. Children in early years are equally well provided for.

In Nursery and Reception, high expectations go hand in hand with a deep understanding of the wider needs of each individual child.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Much has changed here in a relatively short period of time. Staff and pupils alike demonstrate boundless energy and great pride in their school.

Relationships in classrooms are exceedingly productive. Teachers teach. Pupils learn.

There is no time to waste and everyone knows it.

Leaders at all levels have a clear vision for the school. This starts at the top with trustees and executive officers from the multi-academy trust.

Plans to improve the school are focused. Expectations for success are high. Pupils come first, though the workload and well-being of staff also have an appropriately high priority.

Classroom visits show that there is a consistent approach to how the curriculum is delivered across all phases of the school. Staff benefit from a focused and well-planned cycle of internal training. External consultants are also used to enhance the knowledge and expertise of staff.

Consequently, pupils experience a high-quality education, no matter what their backgrounds or barriers to learning might be.

The curriculum is well thought out. It starts in the early years foundation stage, where children progress well through the curriculum.

The very high proportion of pupils with English as an additional language are supported well from the start. The school's programme to teach pupils to read also starts here. High-quality teaching of phonics underpins the school's early reading strategy.

A relentless focus on ensuring that pupils can read confidently forms the foundation of learning across early years and into Years 1 and 2. Those who struggle to read are supported well by expert staff. The impact of this is clear to see on pupils, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Though mathematics and English have a high importance here, the wider curriculum adds great strength to the quality of education the school provides. Sport and the arts have a high profile. Pupils relish their work as historians.

Older pupils enjoy their visits to local secondary schools, where they benefit from additional challenges as scientists or as budding computer technicians.

The school's programme to develop pupils' wider interests is noteworthy. High-quality enrichment activities are the norm.

They come in many forms, including educational visits and taking part in competitions. These include singing in the glee club at Wembley or as aspiring Olympian rowers. Trips to the beach are equally popular.

Pupils remember much about what they learned on their trips to the Science and Natural History Museums.

This is an inclusive school that celebrates its multi-cultural community. Pupils learn about life in modern Britain while honouring the diverse ethnic backgrounds others come from.

Older pupils also have a growing understanding of equality and difference. As a result, they are well prepared for their next phase of education.

This is truly a school that sits at the heart of the community it serves.

The large majority of parents and carers who talked to inspectors or completed Ofsted Parent View are positive about what the school provides. Pupils thrive here. They enjoy their learning in and outside of the classroom.

They know that hard work leads to success. They are motivated to be the best they can be because staff care, and the school really does strive for excellence for all.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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