Mundella Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well cared for at school.

They told us they feel happy and safe. They like the responsibilities they have to help make their school better. Leaders have worked hard to ensure that the school is a welcoming environment for all pupils.

Pupils told us how much they enjoy coming to breakfast club. They particularly enjoy the bagels and fruit that are on offer to everyone.

Pupils behave well in lessons, around school and at playtimes.

They are respectful to each other and to adults. Pupils told us there is no bullying in their school. If anyone says or does anything unkind, pupils know that a trusted adult will help make things better.

...>Pupils know the importance of the school's values. Their behaviour shows they understand these values. One parent commented that 'this is a school where every child has their voice heard'.

Leaders want all pupils to behave well and to study a creative and engaging curriculum. They have achieved this ambition. Leaders have more work to do to make sure that pupils learn well in all subjects.

Leaders also need to make sure that pupils attend regularly and on time.

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

Standards at all stages throughout the school have not been high enough. Leaders have recognised this and have worked, in particular, to improve pupils' concentration and behaviour.

This has been successful. Leaders are now rightly turning their attention to the improvement of the curriculum. Some subjects, like mathematics and science, are well structured.

Here, pupils can explain what they have learned before and how they use this knowledge to extend their learning further. Pupils enjoy lessons and appreciate the way teachers make subjects interesting. For example, pupils told us how much they enjoy science experiments.

Year 2 pupils were very keen to tell us about how they had made slime. They explained well how different materials have different characteristics. However, pupils are not able to increase their knowledge and skills in all subjects.

In some subjects the curriculum is not yet structured well enough to ensure that pupils build on their previous learning.

Leaders have acted with urgency to stabilise staffing at the school. They have recruited and retained a keen and ambitious workforce who are improving the school.

Governors are very supportive of the school and ensure that they understand the work that leaders do. They spend time in school, meeting staff and pupils. This means that they are able to challenge leaders to continue their journey of improvement.

Leaders rightly prioritise reading. They have invested in high-quality texts to support each topic. Younger pupils have new books that match their reading ability.

Teachers now read to their class every day and pupils say they enjoy listening to stories. However, pupils are not always able to discuss the books they have read.Sometimes, they do not improve their vocabulary or understanding of different types of books effectively enough.

Some pupils are not identified quickly enough when they fall behind in learning to read. This means that they do not get the help they need to catch up. The proportion of pupils who met the phonics screening check in 2019 was below the national average.

This is a nurturing school. All staff know children and their families very well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the whole curriculum.

Pupils' personal development is a strength. The school's values are seen throughout the curriculum. For example, pupils particularly enjoy demonstrating collaboration in their work and play.

Leaders have focused on developing pupils' confidence and resilience. Extra-curricular activities support these characteristics. For example, the new choir has recently performed at the Youth Festival of Remembrance and pupils now take part in competitive sporting events.

Leaders have raised expectations of pupils' behaviour and pupils rise to these. All adults reinforce the routines expected. However, too many pupils miss too much school.

While leaders have tried hard to tackle this issue, improvements in pupils' attendance have not yet been swift enough.

The early years curriculum does not meet the needs of all children effectively enough. As a result, not all children do as well as they could.

Too few children reach expected standards by the time they move on to Year 1. The learning environment is not exciting or stimulating. Leaders have more to do to make sure that every child learns well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff receive regular safeguarding training. Updates are added throughout the year to respond to any new issues or changes in practice.

Leaders have put clear procedures in place for staff to report concerns. Any concerns raised by staff are addressed swiftly. Safeguarding records are well maintained and detailed.

Leaders work well with other agencies to support pupils and their families.

Staff know pupils and their families well. This detailed knowledge enables staff to offer support on a case-by-case basis.

Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe. They feel confident that if they have any concerns they can trust an adult in school to deal with these for them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The sequence of learning in reading is not yet planned well enough.

Leaders should plan and implement a reading curriculum that enables the development of reading to be built upon year on year and prepares pupils for the next steps in their education. . Too many pupils have gaps in their phonics knowledge.

These gaps are not being filled quickly enough. Leaders should review the delivery of their phonics programme so that children improve their reading and a greater proportion reach the required standard in the phonics screening check. .

Leaders have not planned learning in all subjects tightly enough. Leaders should identify the knowledge and skills pupils need to learn in each subject, across each year group. Leaders should ensure that the content of every subject is planned in a way that allows pupils to build on what they already know.

. Levels of absence remain too high. Levels of persistent absence are stubbornly high.

Disadvantaged pupils and those in the early years are particularly affected by lower attendance, meaning they are missing out on learning. Despite leaders' ongoing work to reduce absences, there has not yet been enough impact. Leaders should develop new systems to support and challenge parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly.

. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in the early years. Therefore, children are not well prepared for the start of Year 1.

The curriculum is not sequenced well enough and does not lead in to the whole-school curriculum plan. The learning environment is not organised to enthuse children. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is well sequenced and that the learning environment is stimulating.