Thorpe Primary Academy

Overview

The report describes a school where pupils feel “well cared for and safe” within a “calm and purposeful learning atmosphere.” Leaders are “determined to ensure that all pupils access a high-quality education,” supported by effective governance and a curriculum that builds knowledge in “well-considered steps.”

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate “polite, respectful behaviour” and know how to get help, with roles like ‘Thorpe friend’ fostering inclusion.
• Reading is a “high priority,” with phonics taught in a “carefully planned order” and books that “precisely match their phonics stage.”
• Staff use assessment to “carefully check what children know and remember,” enabling targeted interventions for those struggling.
• Leaders work in “effective teams” to share good practice and identify training needs, ensuring staff expertise improves.
• The community is valued, with parents and pupils showing “understanding, respect and acceptance of others.”

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure teachers provide “consistently well-thought-through opportunities” to rehearse and apply knowledge, as some pupils struggle to recall prior learning in a small number of lessons.
• Leaders should embed systems to improve written plans and develop staff expertise for the “small number of pupils with more complex SEND needs,” ensuring support meets their specific requirements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with “rigorous recruitment checks” and regular training ensuring adults know how to act if concerned about a child.