Sharnbrook Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. They enjoy the wide range of subjects they study. However, pupils do not experience a coherently planned curriculum in order to ensure they know and remember more.

Pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

Pupils enjoy spending time with each other. Older pupils organise games for younger pupils at playtime.

Children in the early years are taught to take turns and share. Relationships between pupils and adults are very positive. Pupils are highly respectful of each other's differences.

They have a secure understanding of their role in becoming responsible citizens. They positively encourage each other ...to be successful. Pupils demonstrate high levels of maturity.

Pupils say they feel safe in school. They say that bullying does not happen. Pupils are confident that staff are 'on top of everything' if anyone behaves in an unkind way.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. Pupils undertake many acts of kindness. They take seriously their responsibilities in roles such as house captains and language ambassadors.

They are proud of their achievements. Pupils take action to take care of their environment and their community.

Parents are positive about the school.

They appreciate the range of opportunities that are available and the school's caring ethos.

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

Leaders are developing the curriculum. While this is the case, leaders' intended curriculum for pupils has not been fully thought through.

Leaders have not clearly identified what it is that pupils need to know at different stages throughout the school. In some subject areas, leaders have adopted schemes and resources that support teachers to plan activities across a range of subjects. However, the curriculum is not sufficiently coherent, to enable pupils to make connections in their learning.

Consequently, pupils do not achieve as well as they are able to.

Leaders have introduced a new programme for teaching phonics. Staff have taken part in relevant training and are delivering this new programme.

This is in its early stages of implementation. In early years, children learn to listen carefully and say their sounds clearly. Pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read, read books that are closely matched to the sounds they are learning.

This helps them practise their sounds and develop their reading fluency. Pupils who are less confident in their reading are given additional support to help them catch up.

Pupils are enthusiastic readers.

Most pupils practise reading regularly at home and at school. Leaders have recently reviewed the curriculum for English to ensure that pupils experience a range of quality texts linked to writing, spelling and grammar skills. However, the school's curriculum for reading is not fully developed.

Leaders have not fully considered how the curriculum supports pupils to develop fluency or depth of understanding as readers as they progress through the school. The curriculum for reading does not clearly set out leaders' expectations for what pupils should be taught, so that all pupils become better, more confident readers at every stage of their primary education.

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access leaders' intended curriculum alongside their peers.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with staff and parents. Pupils' needs are identified quickly, and appropriate provision is put in place to support them.

Children in the early years are happy in school.

They are confident in their routines and access activities that support their physical and emotional development. Staff identify themes that will engage children's interests. The curriculum does not fully reflect the expectations of the new statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (EYFS).

The provision for pupils' personal development prepares them well for adulthood. Pupils learn about diversity and respect each other's differences. Pupils develop their understanding of finance and how to manage economic risks.

Older pupils can talk about a wider range of sensitive topics, for example body image, in a mature way. Staff work with members of the wider community to extend pupils' knowledge and experience of the world. Leaders encourage pupils to be aspirational.

Pupils develop an understanding of the world of work and what they need to do to be successful in their future careers. Pupils are inspired by the breadth of wider opportunities and experiences that are integral to the life of the school and the local community.

Generally, governors hold leaders to account effectively for the way the school is led and managed.

While this is the case, governors have not securely assured themselves that the information they are given about the quality of education is followed up. In part, this is due to limitations imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Staff understand the risks that children face. Staff receive regular training.

The systems for reporting concerns are understood and used appropriately by staff.

Leaders work well with outside agencies to ensure that concerns are followed up swiftly and acted on appropriately. Leaders ensure that pupils and families get the help and support they need.

The curriculum content ensures that pupils learn about how to keep safe, for example when online. Leaders and governors ensure that safeguarding is at the forefront of everybody's mind.

What does the school need to do to improve?

• Leaders have not considered how the curriculum for reading supports pupils to become better readers and deepens their understanding of texts as they progress through the school.

This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could in reading. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for reading clearly identifies the knowledge and understanding pupils need to develop at each stage of their primary education so that all pupils achieve well in reading. ? Leaders have not considered carefully enough the intent of the school's curriculum.

This means that pupils from the early years to Year 6 do not experience a coherent curriculum that sequences the knowledge and understanding they should gain as they progress through the school. Leaders should review their intent and implement a coherent, ambitious curriculum that enables pupils to make connections in their learning and achieve well in all the subjects they study. This includes ensuring that the curriculum fully reflects the expectations of the new statutory framework for the EYFS.