Albemarle Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Well-being is prioritised at Albemarle. Pupils are happy and kept safe.

They learn how to maintain good mental and physical health. For example, worry boxes in classrooms enable them to share any concerns they might have. The playground is well maintained with lots of activities on offer.

These support pupils to develop their confidence and take risks safely.

The diversity of the school community is celebrated, threaded through the curriculum and represented in the books pupils read. Pupils participate in workshops and literary festivals and enjoy visits from local authors and poets.

This helps to ensure pupils demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm for re...ading and writing. They readily talk about the books they enjoy and explain why they have chosen them.

Pupils are respectful and polite to one another, staff and visitors.

They behave well in lessons and around the school. This means pupils can focus on their learning. They are expected to work hard and produce work of good quality, which they do.

Pupils report that discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. Consequently, they feel included and accepted.

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

Pupils study an ambitious curriculum that matches the breadth and ambition of what is expected nationally.

Leaders have prioritised curriculum development. They have made important changes to ensure subjects are well sequenced. This work has ensured pupils secure key knowledge, skills and vocabulary in an order that builds in complexity from early years onwards.

For example, in mathematics, children in early years learn to count through songs, games and role play. This important foundation helps older pupils to use number lines to solve addition and subtraction problems using both positive and negative numbers. Similarly, in science, children in early years explore different materials.

This supports older pupils to describe and compare the properties of materials. Older pupils use this knowledge confidently when explaining the difference between solids, liquids and gases.

The curriculum is typically well implemented.

The tasks and activities pupils complete match the ambition of the curriculum. In most subjects, assessment is used effectively to check how well pupils are learning and to address any misconceptions. A few subjects are not as embedded as others.

In these instances, some pupils are not given sufficient opportunity to revisit and embed important concepts. This means these pupils do not develop as deep a body of knowledge and understanding in these subjects.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified early on.

Teachers make appropriate and thoughtful adaptations to enable pupils to access the full curriculum. All pupils from early years onwards are well supported to become increasingly independent and to take responsibility for their own learning.

Reading is prioritised.

Staff implement the agreed phonics programme with consistency and precision. Pupils practise reading books that are closely matched to the sounds they know. This means that most pupils become fluent and confident readers.

Regular assessment identifies pupils who are falling behind, and they are given expert support to catch up. Pupils enjoy reading a wide range of books. Parents and carers access workshops provided by the school to help them understand phonics and provide them with ideas for reading at home.

Pupils display positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy school and work productively with adults and each other. In a small number of cases, pupils need additional support to regulate their emotions.

The school has sought expert help and advice on how to do this. For example, it has worked with the local pupil referral unit and educational psychologists. Leaders have worked hard to improve attendance.

For example, the use of a 'walking bus' has supported pupils to attend school regularly and on time.

Across the school, there is a keen focus on pupils' wider personal development. This starts in early years where children are taught to discuss their feelings using puppets and pictures.

Pupils' cultural development is a priority. For example, all pupils get the opportunity to learn to play musical instruments. They visit galleries, theatres and places of worship and attend residential visits.

Pupils learn the importance of health and fitness through participating in sports, including squash, football and swimming.

Those responsible for governance understand the school's strengths. They have worked closely with school leaders and the local authority to address priorities for development.

Parents recognise the work leaders have undertaken and comment on the improvements made in, for example, communication. The school has been taken through a rapid period of positive change. Leaders have been sensitive to how this can impact staff's workload and well-being.

Staff typically feel well supported and enjoy working at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A few foundation subjects are at an earlier stage of implementation.

In these instances, some pupils are not given sufficient opportunity to revisit and embed important concepts. This means these pupils do not deepen their knowledge as successfully. The school should ensure that the curriculum is fully embedded across each subject area and that pupils are given sufficient opportunity to secure key ideas.