Shakespeare Primary School, located in Plymouth, Devon, was inspected on May 17 and 18, 2022. The overall effectiveness of the school is rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas such as the quality of education and leadership and management also needing improvement. However, the school demonstrates good performance in behavior and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision. This inspection marks the first routine evaluation since the school became an academy converter and joined the Learning Academies Trust in April 2018.
The school environment is described as happy and welcoming, with pupils displaying politeness and good behavior in lessons and around the school. Incidents of bullying are reported to be addressed swiftly by staff, contributing to a fair and equitable treatment of students. Pupils enjoy a broad curriculum, although leaders acknowledge that some subjects have historically been weak, impacting the learning outcomes for many students. Since the arrival of new leadership in January 2022, there have been efforts to raise expectations and improve the curriculum, but it is too early to assess the full impact of these changes.
Reading, writing, and mathematics standards have been low in recent years, with trust leaders failing to implement necessary improvements promptly. The new leadership team has identified curriculum weaknesses and has begun to implement strategies for enhancing early reading and mathematics instruction. However, challenges remain, particularly in ensuring that reading materials are appropriately matched to pupils' abilities, and some staff require further training to effectively teach reading.
In the early years, children benefit from a curriculum focused on reading, with staff regularly introducing new language. The introduction of a new phonics program aims to strengthen the reading curriculum, but there are concerns regarding the curriculum for older pupils who are still at early reading stages. These students do not receive the comprehensive support needed to catch up effectively.
The school has recently begun to develop a well-sequenced mathematics curriculum, providing tailored support for staff to enhance their subject knowledge. However, these developments are still in their infancy, and it is too soon to determine their effectiveness. Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities receive timely support, particularly in the early years, where small-group phonics sessions have proven successful.
While most subject curriculums are well-sequenced, assessment practices are identified as a significant area for improvement. Teachers often do not use assessment effectively to tailor activities to pupils' needs, which can hinder learning. Attendance is another concern, with too many pupils, including vulnerable students, not attending school regularly, which negatively impacts their learning.
The school has developed a personal development curriculum that emphasizes physical and mental health, fostering responsible citizenship among pupils. However, there is a noted deficiency in teaching about cultural differences and similarities. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff trained to identify potential signs of abuse and a pastoral team in place to support vulnerable pupils.
To improve, the school must ensure that staff are equipped with the necessary subject knowledge and pedagogical skills to teach reading effectively. The reading curriculum for older pupils needs enhancement to provide essential knowledge for success. Additionally, assessment practices must be refined to better match activities to pupils' abilities, and persistent absence issues must be addressed to improve overall attendance rates.
