Westminster Church of England Primary Academy

Overview

Westminster Church of England Primary Academy is described as a school that “celebrates and serves its pupils, and local community, extremely well,” fostering a respectful culture where pupils are “safe and happy.” The report highlights that staff maintain high expectations, resulting in calm behaviour and a strong sense of belonging, while the academy trust has provided “crucial and highly effective support” since the school joined.

Strengths

• Staff teach phonics “confidently and with precision,” ensuring every pupil learns to read and helping those who find it difficult become “fluent, confident readers.”
• The curriculum is “broad” and “very well thought through” in many subjects, with leaders breaking knowledge into small steps so pupils can “deepen their understanding.”
• The school meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively, with staff who “know pupils well” and provide appropriate support.
• Early years provision is strong, with a “carefully designed” curriculum and staff who are “skilled in helping children learn new knowledge and vocabulary.”
• Leaders have made attendance a “high priority,” which is “beginning to have a positive impact,” while bullying is reported as “rare.”

Areas to improve

• In a small number of subjects, staff do not consistently check and build on prior learning, leading to a “less secure grasp of important knowledge.”
• Some personal, social and health education (PSHE) activities do not give pupils enough opportunity to “think deeply about their learning,” affecting retention.
• At times, some pupils with SEND “rely too much on staff,” though training is underway to develop greater independence.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”