Astmoor Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, lively members of their school. They know that the school values them all as individuals and that everyone is treated with respect. Pupils feel that all staff care about them and their families.

They know that staff will always find the time to listen to any worries and that they will do their best to help.

Pupils know that the school has high expectations for their learning. They respond to this by listening carefully and doing their best in lessons.

They know that, if they are struggling, staff will support them.

The school also has high expectations of pupils' behaviour, and staff work tirelessly to help pupils reach these expect...ations. Classroom routines and structures enable a calm and purposeful learning environment, right from when children start school in the Reception Year.

Outside the classroom, pupils move around sensibly and play cooperatively together. Pupils show high levels of respect towards each other and towards adults in school.

Pupils have a range of opportunities to contribute to the life of the school.

For example, there are pupil safety officers who deliver key safety messages in school assemblies. Pupils also learn about their place in the global community. They enjoy communicating with pupils in their twin school in South Africa.

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. The key knowledge that pupils should learn in each subject has been carefully identified. In many subjects, pupils build secure knowledge over time.

In these subjects, staff use a range of strategies to check what pupils have understood. This helps them to rapidly address misconceptions and shape future teaching to fill any gaps in knowledge.

However, in a few subjects, the curriculum is not delivered as the school intends.

This means that pupils sometimes do not learn what they should. In addition, pupils sometimes complete activities that do not help them to learn the intended curriculum. Consequently, in these subjects, there are some gaps and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge.

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at the earliest possible opportunity. It works with nursery settings to make sure that provision is in place right from when children start school in the Reception class. This means that these pupils can access and progress through the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Pupils in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) benefit from carefully designed individual learning journeys. This helps them to build their learning in small steps.

Staff teach early reading consistently.

Alongside this, there is a sharp focus on developing pupils' communication, language and vocabulary using stories, nursery rhymes and songs.As soon as they start school in the Reception Year, children start to learn about letters and the sounds that they make. As they move through key stage 1, pupils use these sounds successfully to read and write words.

This enables them to read carefully matched books with increasing fluency. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils read with accuracy and comprehension. The school also aims to foster a love of reading by introducing pupils to a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books.

Older pupils spoke with enthusiasm about their favourite stories and authors.

The school works with parents and carers to help them overcome any barriers to good attendance and punctuality. It makes sure that pupils feel valued for coming into school, ready to learn.

This means that the majority of pupils benefit from being in school, on time, every day.

The school places great importance on pupils' wider development. Pupils develop a sound understanding of their place in the local community, for example through going on litter picks in the local area.

They also learn about different cultures and religions in lessons and through visitors to school, for example visits from different religious leaders. Pupils understand how to keep themselves physically healthy through diet and exercise. They can talk about ways of supporting their own mental health.

There are opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. For example, they can participate and compete in sports from cricket to curling.

The school has an inclusive culture and welcomes all pupils, including those with complex SEND.

It makes every effort to make parents feel that they are a valued part of their children's education. Parents have very positive views on the school and staff. They appreciate the support it offers not just to the children but to their families too.

Staff feel well supported by leaders both professionally and personally. Leaders have taken practical steps to reduce workload, for example by reducing the content of school reports.

Governors are very knowledgeable about all aspects of the school and school life.

This allows them to plan for the further development of the school and also to celebrate its many strengths.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, pupils do not learn all of the intended curriculum.

In addition, the learning activities provided at times do not support them to secure a deep understanding of the subject. This means that pupils do not learn the curriculum in some subjects as well as they should. The school should ensure that all staff have the subject knowledge and expertise to deliver these curriculums so that pupils secure the intended knowledge over time.

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