Southwold Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand why good manners are important, and they behave with unerring courtesy.

They don't need teachers to persuade them to work hard in lessons because they realise why learning is so important. They take great care to present their work to an excellent standard. This showed us how much pupils are determined to succeed and learn more.

Pupils get on with each other really well at playtime and when moving around the school. They use every bit of space in the playground considerately and safely.

Pupils say they feel safe.

They know what bullying is and recognise it is very rare at this school. Even the youngest children take steps to look af...ter one another. They feel confident about finding an adult to talk to if they are worried or upset.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of visits, clubs and activities which have been thoughtfully planned. Pupils learn to realise how culture can enrich their lives. Their talents are celebrated and developed.

Leaders make sure these excellent opportunities are available to everyone.

Pupils also understand how people in communities depend on one another. For example, visitors from Billingsgate Fish Market made sure pupils know where their food comes from.

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

Leaders are determined that over time pupils will learn and remember a significant amount across all subjects. The teaching of subjects is organised exceptionally well. Teachers understand what leaders want pupils to learn and in which order.

Teachers skilfully make sure pupils achieve this.

Teachers set up opportunities for children to learn to read from the moment they start in Nursery. They teach phonics with great expertise and notice immediately when children make mistakes or seem to be struggling.

They make sure parents understand how reading is taught, including for those parents who may find reading in English difficult.

Pupils learn to read confidently and fluently. Older pupils realise how useful books are in helping satisfy their thirst for knowledge.

They told us that teachers help them to understand the books they read together in class. We saw teachers using excellent subject knowledge when answering pupils' questions about texts.

Pupils achieve very well in mathematics.

Teachers help children in the Reception Year learn to use mathematical words accurately. We saw pupils in Year 6 use what they already knew about shapes and measurements to learn more about geometry.In other subjects, we were impressed by the high standard of pupils' work.

Year 4 pupils can use perspective when drawing buildings in the style of L.S. Lowry.

Year 6 pupils can write at length in grammatically accurate Spanish. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared to move on to secondary school.

Leaders and governors make sure the provision for pupils' personal development goes well beyond the expected.

They make sure pupils find out what it is like to go to university. They have established links with a school in Spain to bring the culture of this country to life for older pupils. They have decided to change the way pupils are taught about relationships as soon as they realised that this needed to happen.

Leaders and teachers know how to make sure pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can enjoy learning. Teachers expect as much of these pupils as others and adapt lessons to make sure they achieve well.

Pupils are captivated by lessons and so teaching is very rarely interrupted by poor behaviour.

Leaders use the behaviour policy wisely to help improve the behaviour of a few pupils who need to do this. They have also improved pupils' attendance over the last three years. Pupils now very rarely miss school.

Children in the early years have a high-quality and fascinating indoor and outdoor area to learn in. Leaders and governors have put a lot of thought and effort into improving this since the school's last full inspection.

Staff say leaders and governors listen and act when they offer constructive ideas about how to improve workload and take their well-being into account.

Parents are positive about the school. Some choose it because of its strong reputation in the local community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff feel well supported by leaders and specialist staff in understanding how to identify pupils at risk, and they respond appropriately. Pupils receive help promptly if they need it.

Leaders provide training to help staff keep up to date with the most recent safeguarding guidance.

They discuss safeguarding cases together and include instances they can learn from.

Leaders and governors understand the risks pupils may face in the local community. They make sure lessons are provided to help pupils understand and avoid these risks.