Belmont Cheveley Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school get on very well with one another. They play together harmoniously during social times. Pupils are happy and they feel safe.

There are many opportunities for pupils to be leaders, such as reader leaders, book champions and 'heads up' ambassadors. Pupils are confident to talk to adults and are highly positive about being part of 'Team Cheveley'

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour and their academic achievement. Pupils behave very well and low-level disruption is not tolerated.

Pupils respond well to rewards and stickers. Pupils are kind to each other. Pupils say that bullying is rare and that, if it did happen, teacher...s would deal with it quickly.

Pupils experience a wide-range of opportunities for extra-curricular activities. This includes sports, gardening club, story time adventures, student leadership responsibilities and drama and chess clubs. Pupils appreciate these and make good use of them.

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

There are high aspirations for what pupils can achieve at this school. Teachers and teaching assistants ensure that the needs of pupils are met. Pupils in the enhanced mainstream provision (EMP) follow the same curriculum as their peers.

They are fully included. Teachers from the mainstream school and the EMP work closely together to make adaptations to ensure that all pupils can learn and remember.

Reading has a high priority at Cheveley Park.

Formal phonics teaching starts at the beginning of Reception and strong groundwork for phonics takes place in the Nursery. There are frequent opportunities for reading throughout the school day. The library is well stocked and well used.

Staff receive lots of phonics training and, this helps to ensure they teach phonics well. Pupils can blend sounds that they know. This helps them to become effective readers.

Pupils who are struggling to read are well supported. They receive effective programmes of support. The school carefully evaluates the success of these interventions and makes changes to the offer if needed.

Pupils in the EMP learn phonics at a level that is appropriate to them. They receive effective support on their reading journeys.

The school's curriculum closely reflects that set out in the national curriculum.

It is complemented well with a wider offer of trips and extra-curricular activities. However, the school's plans for curriculum development have been hampered by previous staff turbulence. The school is already working to develop and refine its curriculum, but there remains more to do.

For example, in some subjects, the purpose, sequencing and checks of pupils' learning are not yet clearly mapped out. Expectations of what should be taught and when are, therefore, sometimes unclear.

The school has recently introduced a number of new initiatives aimed at strengthening the quality of the curriculum.

However, in some subjects, staff are unclear of their intended purpose. This means that these initiatives are not being adhered to consistently well. Leaders are yet to evaluate the impact of these new initiatives on pupils' learning and check that they are being implemented consistently well and as intended.

Doing so is an important next step.

Pupils behave really well at Cheveley Park. When a pupil requires additional support, this is put in place through internal support and working with external agencies as appropriate.

Pupils are friendly and genuinely supportive of one another. The 'heads up' ambassadors are available at playtimes and lunchtimes to support pupils who need it. Pupils attend well.

The school has systems in place to swiftly address attendance, should it begin to fall.

The school has a strong offer for pupils personal, social, health and economic education. It meets statutory requirements for the teaching of relationships education.

Pupils can explain what it means to be a good friend. Pupils are aware of British values such as democracy and the rule of law. They understand why respect and tolerance are crucial to society.

Leaders and governors know their school well. They have the skills and knowledge to further improve the school. Through quality assurance, they are aware of the school's strengths and areas to further develop.

These are included in the school development plan. The staff survey shows that staff are happy and proud to work at this school. They feel well consulted and that leaders are considerate of their workload.

Leaders communicate effectively and regularly with parents, for example making them aware of the upcoming topics so that parents can support their child's learning. Almost all parents who responded to Ofsted's Parent View survey were highly positive about 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)

• In some subjects, the purpose, sequencing and checks of pupils' learning are not yet clearly mapped out. Expectations of what should be taught and when are, therefore, sometimes unclear. The school should ensure that the curriculum is clearly mapped out so that the purpose, sequencing and assessment are clear in all subjects.

• The intended purpose of new initiatives aimed at improving the curriculum is not fully understood or adhered to by all staff. This means that there is an inconsistent approach that can hamper pupils' learning. The school should swiftly and carefully evaluate the impact of any new initiatives and make sure that they are implemented by all staff in the way the school intended.