Aylward Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Aylward Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders work to nurture strong relationships with parents and carers. They regularly invite parents into school to take part in events or work alongside their child. Some parents said that leaders have created a strong, cohesive school community.

Pupils are well behaved and courteous. They treat school staff and each other with respect and care. Pupils enjoy using the different equipment and playing in the large outdoor space at breaktimes.

Pupils share and take turns habitually. They are kind and considerate of others' needs. Pupils are happy and safe.

School staff form t...rusted relationships with pupils. Pupils are confident that leaders will sort out any problems that may arise. Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying effectively.

They reflect on incidents that may arise and adapt the school curriculum if appropriate. This is to provide opportunities for all pupils to learn from different experiences.

Leaders have high expectations for what pupils can achieve.

They are reflective and focused on how to make sure pupils learn as best as they can. Leaders ensure that subject leaders have the knowledge and expertise they need to make the right decisions about subjects. As a result, pupils are successful in their learning.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. Pupils have many opportunities to read during the school day. Pupils said they enjoy visiting the library and listening to stories.

Pupils borrow books from the library to read at home. Leaders train teachers and teaching assistants to teach phonics. The phonics programme is taught from the early years.

Leaders check the letters and sounds pupils know when they join the school. They use this information to decide the best starting point. Pupils at the early stages of reading read books matched to the sounds they know.

Leaders work with parents to help them know how to support their child. For example, leaders regularly invite parents into school to read with their child. Pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident readers.

Leaders provide effective education for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They arrange for experts to work alongside school staff and provide training. This includes therapists and SEND experts within the school.

As a result, teachers adapt subjects well so that pupils learn together. Those who attend the resourced provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder are supported well. Leaders work closely with parents and a range of professionals to check that pupils get the right help.

The school curriculum is ambitious and in line with the national curriculum. Subject leaders have strong subject knowledge. They have thought about the important knowledge and skills they want pupils to know in different subjects.

Leaders order this information effectively from the early years to Year 6. Leaders and teachers check that pupils remember important knowledge. They use this assessment information to decide the next steps.

This includes providing additional teaching for pupils who need it. Pupils regularly recap what they have learned recently. Consequently, pupils have secure knowledge of the areas they are learning currently.

For example, pupils in Year 6 spoke confidently about the causes of World War 2 and the countries involved. Sometimes, however, teaching does not make explicit links to key knowledge acquired in previous years. As a result, pupils struggle to connect prior learning with what they are learning now.

Leaders work with teachers to ensure they teach the right things. However, sometimes the activities chosen by teachers do not emphasise the important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations for behaviour.

As a result, pupils in different year groups behave consistently well. Learning is not disturbed by low-level disruption. Pupils enjoy taking on additional responsibilities in the school.

This includes representing their class at school council meetings and taking on roles such as 'mini librarians'. Leaders provide a wide range of clubs before, during and after school, for example Spanish, model painting and cross country. Leaders teach pupils about equality and diverse cultures in modern Britain.

Pupils are taught to respect difference through the personal, social and health education programme (PSHE) and during assemblies.

Leaders of the trust have appropriate knowledge and skills to carry out their role. They provide effective support and challenge for school leaders.

Leaders work together to check that staff workload is manageable. Typically, school staff are confident that their well-being is considered when decisions are made.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have appropriate training and experience to lead safeguarding. They ensure that school staff receive regular training. Staff recognise the signs which indicate that a pupil may need help or support.

Leaders respond to concerns and take action swiftly. This includes seeking advice from safeguarding partners at the local authority. Leaders make sure the correct pre-employment checks are completed before staff start working at the school.

Leaders analyse safeguarding information and provide various opportunities for pupils to share their views. Leaders use what pupils tell them to modify the PSHE programme where necessary.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, teaching does not make explicit links to key knowledge pupils have learned in previous years.

Therefore, pupils struggle to connect and build on this knowledge. Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils' recollection of previous teaching is secure before introducing more complex ideas. ? Sometimes, pupils complete activities that do not match with the intended curriculum.

As a result, teaching does not emphasise the important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. Leaders should provide training for teachers so that they implement the curriculum consistently.

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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2017.

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