Essendine Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Essendine Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Essendine are happy and confident. They enjoy positive and warm working relationships with staff and each other. Behaviour is highly positive because expectations are clear and consistently applied.

Pupils are encouraged to support each other and to celebrate one another's differences. Pupils do not worry about bullying at this school because they trust teachers to deal with it should it happen. Staff manage any concerns swiftly and effectively.

This means that pupils are kept safe and feel safe at school.

Pupils typically follow an ambitious and broad curricul...um. Pupils particularly enjoy reading and being read to.

Leaders have nurtured this by creating dedicated reading spaces around the school. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their parents and carers coming into school to read with them each week. The specially designed art room, computer suite, sports area, sensory room and garden have been organised to enrich pupils' learning.

In most cases, the curriculum enables pupils to learn successfully and produce work of good quality in different subjects. This prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education.

Pupils value being able to learn how to play different instruments.

They are also keen to take part in the school musical. A programme of educational visits, including to different museums and galleries, enhances the taught curriculum. Pupils enjoy competing with other schools through, for example, spelling bees and football tournaments.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious, broad and meets all national expectations. In each subject, the key knowledge that pupils should learn and remember has been identified. This has been well sequenced, so teachers know what pupils need to secure before they move on to more complex learning.

For example, in mathematics, children in Reception practise counting forwards and backwards in different steps. This supports their readiness to learn their multiplication tables later on. Older pupils use this knowledge when converting different units of measurement, such as grams and kilograms.

Similarly, in art, pupils develop a range of vocabulary to describe the techniques used by different artists. They use these terms with precision when describing their own work and that of others.

Leaders have thought carefully about how pupils develop connections between subjects to deepen their understanding.

For example, younger pupils learn about the geography of London. This helps them to understand more easily how the Great Fire of London spread when they study this in history.

Teachers have good subject knowledge.

They explain new ideas with accuracy and precision. Teachers regularly check what pupils have understood. However, in some foundation subjects, teachers do not focus their assessment on checking that pupils have fully learned the intended curriculum.

This means misconceptions in these areas are not consistently identified or corrected.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to learn to read and develop a love of reading early on. Staff have been well trained to deliver the phonics programme with accuracy and precision.

Leaders quickly identify those who are falling behind and ensure effective support is in place to help them to catch up. The curriculum is designed to ensure all pupils revisit and practise sounds daily, with books that are well matched to the sounds they know. This helps pupils to learn to read with increasing fluency and confidence.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early on. Lots of thought is given to how pupils are supported so that, wherever possible, they access the same curriculum as their peers.

Leaders have carefully considered pupils' broader personal development.

The curriculum is designed to help pupils learn about human rights and the importance of being responsible and respectful to one another. Pupils are encouraged to discuss complex ideas through the curriculum topics they study. For example, when studying the Second World War, pupils in Year 6 have debated whether it is acceptable to stand by when something bad is happening.

Staff feel trusted and supported by leaders. They comment that their workload is well managed and that leaders are considerate of their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured that effective training is in place for all staff and governors. This means that pupils who may be at risk of harm are quickly identified. Staff refer any concerns they have swiftly.

Leaders make appropriate referrals and seek advice and guidance from external agencies. This helps to secure the support that pupils and families need.The curriculum is well designed to help pupils learn how to stay safe.

For example, they learn about online safety, including the risks of grooming, as well as how to be physically healthy.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, teachers do not check that pupils have fully learned the intended curriculum. This means misconceptions in these areas are not consistently identified or corrected.

Leaders should ensure teachers routinely check that pupils have learned the planned curriculum. This will help pupils to secure the important concepts in each subject before moving on to more complex ideas.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2013.

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