Aldeburgh Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Aldeburgh Primary is a small school, with four classes.

Everybody knows everybody, and the school feels like a family. Classrooms are large, bright and inviting. Pupils enjoy coming to school and most say that they would recommend it to other people.

Pupils are expected to work hard and to do their best. As a result, pupils do well at Aldeburgh Primary. By the time they get to the end of Year 6, they are ready to move on to secondary school.

Generally, pupils behave very well. They know that they are expected to follow the school's rules and they usually do. Pupils say that bullying does not happen very often.

They feel that the school is a safe plac...e to be. Pupils told us that staff support them and help them when they need it.

The school is in the popular seaside town of Adleburgh and is a short walk from the beach.

The school takes advantage of all that the area has to offer. For example, pupils make short films in school, as part of their computing work, and these are shown in the small local cinema.

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

The school's curriculum is wide-ranging and interesting.

The school regularly has visits from musicians and authors. Pupils have opportunities to go on educational visits, such as to nearby Sutton Hoo or a residential visit to Derbyshire.

British values are a key part of the curriculum.

The school uses well-chosen books to teach pupils about different values. For example, 'The rainbow fish' is used to teach about tolerance, while 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' is used to illustrate the rule of law.

Pupils learn about aspects of personal, social and health education through the curriculum and assemblies.

Older pupils apply to become junior road safety officers. They carry out a range of tasks, including encouraging pupils to wear helmets when riding their bikes.

Reading is given a high priority at Aldeburgh.

By the time they leave, pupils read fluently and with understanding. Pupils are encouraged to develop a love of reading and books. Every pupil has a ticket for the local library and each class visits once a month.

Staff read to pupils regularly, in lessons, at home time and during assemblies. They recommend books to pupils and encourage pupils to make suggestions about books that others might like.

Children start learning phonics soon after they join the school.

Staff know the general principles for teaching phonics. However, some staff do not have strong enough knowledge about the school's chosen phonics scheme. This means that they do not follow the scheme's approach closely enough.

When this is the case, some pupils do not progress as well as they could.

The curriculum is well designed and implemented. The curriculum makes clear what should be taught and when.

Pupils enjoy their learning because they are given interesting activities to do. They also know that support is always available when they need it.

The curriculum is adapted well to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders know pupils with SEND very well. They have in-depth knowledge about each pupil. As a result, pupils with SEND make strong progress and achieve well.

The early years curriculum is developing and provision has improved. Reception and Year 1 pupils form a single, mixed-age class. Teachers plan learning for children in the early years alongside that for their Year 1 classmates.

The early years curriculum is less well-developed than the curriculum for Year 1. For example, the activities that children can choose for themselves do not contribute well enough to their learning.

On the whole, pupils behave well during lessons.

They listen carefully to what they are told and respond quickly to instructions. Pupils show interest in their learning and do their best. Where learning routines are less well established, there is a small amount of low-level disruption.

Leaders and governors want the best for the school. They are focused on ensuring that the school continues to improve. However, the school's self-evaluation and school development documents are not fully developed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school's record of pre-appointment checks includes all necessary information. Appropriate checks are made before anyone is allowed to work with pupils, whether as a volunteer or as a member of staff.

The school's designated safeguarding lead has a strong understanding of the role. Staff have been trained to recognise possible signs of abuse and neglect. Relationships between pupils and staff are strong.

This helps to ensure that issues are noticed quickly. A suitable system is in place for reporting concerns that arise about pupils. The designated safeguarding lead takes prompt action, when necessary, to protect pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The early years curriculum is less well developed than the curriculum in the rest of the school. For example, continuous provision is underdeveloped because it is not always challenging or well matched to children's needs. As a result, children become distracted and do not persevere with activities.

Leaders need to ensure that they continue to develop the early years curriculum, including continuous provision. . Some staff do not have deep enough knowledge and understanding of the school's chosen phonics scheme.

Not all staff have had adequate training in the use of the school's chosen scheme. Where this is the case, phonics teaching is less effective. Leaders should ensure that all staff are fully trained in, and have excellent knowledge about, the school's approach to teaching phonics.