Addison Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Addison Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Senior leaders have created a warm, vibrant ethos. Pupils are very positive about their school.

They give visitors a cheerful welcome. They feel safe and are happy. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school.

Leaders' high expectations of pupils match the core values of the school. For example, pupils know that they must be resilient by trying their best to achieve.

Pupils like their teachers.

There are lots of fun, well-supervised things to do at breaktimes. Pupils particularly like taking part in the many sports and competitive events. Pupils... behave well.

Bullying is not tolerated. Any poor behaviour is managed effectively.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils.

Reading is prioritised. Pupils find lessons interesting and pay close attention to their teachers. Teachers plan most learning carefully.

Pupils' skills and knowledge are developed through a wide range of experiences. Disadvantaged pupils are catching up with other pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well.

However, not all subjects include lessons that build on what pupils know and can do.

Pupils take on additional responsibilities. Some take on roles as school councillors or playtime monitors.

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

Leaders have planned a broad range of interesting subjects. Subjects are ambitious and generally well planned to meet the needs of all pupils. Most pupils achieve well in relation to their starting points.

Teachers plan lessons in a logical order so that pupils build on what they have learned before. Pupils remember important knowledge from their reading books and subjects such as geography. Trips and visits help pupils remember their learning.

However, this is not the case in all subjects. In science and physical education (PE), learning does not always build on what pupils know and can do.

Reading is given a high profile.

Each class has a tempting reading area. Staff waste no time in teaching children in Reception to read. Children learn to recognise sounds and use these to read words.

Story times, reading challenges and early morning clubs get pupils excited about books. Reading and phonics lessons take place every day. Any pupil falling behind gets extra help to catch up.

Older pupils are very knowledgeable about the books they enjoy reading. They talk enthusiastically about their books. Teachers help pupils to explore how authors develop characters through effective words, speech and action.

In geography, teachers make sure that pupils build on what they learned in previous years. Teachers help pupils to see the links between what they have learned before and what they are doing now. Older pupils build on the knowledge they have learned about the seven continents and the world's oceans.

They use this knowledge to correctly plot the Silk Road and trade routes across the world.

Leaders have carefully considered the order in which topics are taught in science. Children in the early years use their growing scientific knowledge.

They begin to predict what will happen to the seeds they are growing in different environmental conditions. Pupils learn and use a range of scientific vocabulary from an early age. However, learning for older pupils does not always build on what they know and can do.

Teachers do not always have deep enough subject knowledge to do this effectively.

Most pupils live up to their teachers' expectations for good behaviour. Adults ensure that rules are fair and consistent.

This helps pupils behave well around school and in lessons. Leaders organise activities to develop pupils' social skills, moral sense and cultural awareness. Pupils develop a strong sense of right and wrong.

Pupils listen carefully to each other. They work well together. Pupils appreciate the care and kindness shown to them.

They know that adults will help if they have any worries. Leaders have improved pupils' attendance. They offer support and challenge to parents if their child's attendance is poor.

Leaders draw on help from other professionals. They are determined to improve attendance even further.

Governors know the strengths of the school and areas the school needs to improve on.

They ask the right questions to ensure that leaders continue to develop the school appropriately.

Staff appreciate the efforts that leaders have taken to lighten their workload. They said that leaders consider their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils' welfare and safety come first at Addison Primary School. Leaders ensure that staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

Regular training takes place. Adults know what they must do to protect pupils and keep them free from harm. They know the signs of potential abuse and neglect to look out for.

This means that the risks to vulnerable pupils are minimised.

Leaders' checks on the suitability of adults working with pupils are thorough. This includes adults visiting the school or working with pupils on trips and visits.

Leaders communicate with police, social services and other partners to make sure that families get the help they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in a small number of subject areas. These subjects are not planned to help pupils know and remember more.

Leaders need to ensure that all subjects are planned logically to help pupils build on what they have previously learned, so that more pupils securely grasp the knowledge they are taught. . The leadership of some subjects is relatively new.

These leaders are rapidly growing into their roles. Leaders need to ensure that teachers have sufficient specialist knowledge of each subject, so that they can help and challenge all pupils to learn as much as possible.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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged Addison Primary School to be good in October 2011.

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