Potters Green Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff want pupils to do well. Pupils' positive behaviour and personal development reflect this ambition. However, children and pupils do not experience a consistently well-delivered curriculum.

This means that some pupils struggle with new learning. Leaders know that there is still more work to be done to improve the curriculum.

Pupils are cheerful and proud of their school.

They enjoy being with their friends. They say, 'Teachers guide us and keep us safe.' Older pupils understand the meaning of the school's core values of 'respect', 'resilience' and 'responsibility'.

They talk articulately about how these values are part of everyday sch...ool life.

There is a calm atmosphere around the school. Behaviour in classrooms, corridors and on the playgrounds is mostly positive.

The majority of pupils listen well in lessons and focus on their work. However, a few pupils become distracted or lose focus when the curriculum is not well delivered.

Pupils understand and can talk about different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying.

When bullying happens, staff deal with it immediately. Pupils and parents value this.

Most parents speak positively about the school.

They value how well their children are cared for and the improvements in behaviour.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge and skills that pupils will learn. They have introduced new curriculum plans in a range of subjects, including English, history and computing.

These plans help teachers to order lessons, so that pupils' new learning builds on what they have learned before. However, in the early years, the order and organisation of the curriculum does not build on or reinforce what children already know.

The curriculum is not delivered consistently well in all year groups.

When it is taught well, pupils understand and remember new knowledge and skills. However, when this is not the case, pupils struggle with new learning, and some pupils find the work either too difficult or too easy.

Teachers use subject-specific vocabulary well, especially in English, mathematics and computing lessons.

Pupils are starting to mirror this when they explain their understanding of a concept.

Subject leaders, some of whom are new to the role, have not consistently checked that curriculum plans are well delivered. This is partly due to COVID-19 related restrictions.

As a result, subject leaders are not always clear about what is done well and what needs to improve. This limits their ability to support colleagues who may need help.

Pupils say they enjoy reading.

Younger pupils like it when their teacher reads books to them and when they share stories with each other. The order of phonics teaching is clearly mapped out across early years, key stage 1 and beyond, if needed. However, not all staff teach phonics well.

As a result, some pupils fall behind with their reading and require extra help. This has a knock-on effect to their learning in other subjects.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in lessons and all aspects of school life.

If required, staff provide extra resources and practical equipment to support pupils' learning. Staff are quick to step in if pupils need extra help with their work. However, pupils with SEND struggle with their work when the curriculum is not well delivered.

The 'thrive' provision helps pupils who find it difficult to manage their emotions to engage in learning.

Pupils are very accepting of difference and say that everyone is welcome in their school. They have a clear understanding of the different relationships and types of families that exist in their local community.

Pupils understand how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and they have a growing understanding of mental health. Pupils are pleased that the after-school sporting clubs have restarted. They are looking forward to a full programme of visiting speakers and trips restarting, including Rough Close and Cadbury World.

Senior leaders are working hard to improve the school. They know that there is more to do, but they are determined in their actions. Governors are supporting leaders to make these improvements.

Governors are improving their understanding of the new curriculum so that they can question leaders more effectively.

Staff are proud to work in the school. They support each other and work well as a team.

A significant number of staff expressed concerns about their workload, but leaders have started to take action to address this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff do everything they can to keep pupils safe.

The safeguarding team organise regular, effective training for all staff. Staff know what to do if they have a concern about a pupil's welfare. Leaders are quick to identify pupils and families who need help.

Support is quickly put into place. Leaders and the pastoral team work closely with a range of external agencies when required. Staff help pupils to understand how to keep themselves safe, both in and out of school.

Leaders are knowledgeable about local risks, such as gang culture.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not delivered consistently well in all year groups in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Consequently, pupils are not achieving as well as they could in these curriculum areas.

Leaders need to make sure that staff are provided with the support they need so that they can deliver the curriculum in all subjects consistently well. ? Subject leaders have not monitored their curriculum areas to check to see if staff deliver it well. This is partly due to COVID-19 related restrictions.

Consequently, subject leaders do not have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement in their curriculum areas. Senior leaders need to make sure that subject leaders have the time, support and expertise to monitor their curriculum areas to address any areas for improvement. ? There is too much variation in the quality of phonics teaching for children and pupils at the early stages of reading.

Not all members of staff implement the phonics curriculum effectively. As a result, pupils fall behind with their reading and require extra help. Leaders need to provide staff with the relevant support so they can deliver the phonics curriculum effectively.

• In early years, curriculum plans do not clearly identify how knowledge and skills are ordered and connected. This means that children's learning does not always build on what they already know. Leaders need to review the early years curriculum to make sure that it is well sequenced and that there are sufficient opportunities for children to practise, consolidate and apply what they already know so that new knowledge can be learned confidently.