Belmont Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Belmont Community Primary School. Parents are positive about the recent leadership changes at the school.

One parent echoed the views of many when they stated, 'This is a supportive and friendly school.' The school regularly holds events for the local community to attend.

Pupils feel safe.

They know who to talk to if they have any worries or concerns. Older pupils support younger pupils by helping them in the dining hall and organising activities for them during social times.

The school is ambitious for pupils.

However, the quality of education is not good enough. Pupils do not always achieve their potential. Pupils do... not make the progress through the curriculum they should because the curriculum is not always taught well.

New leaders have identified areas for improvement but have not yet brought about the necessary changes.

In lessons, some pupils find it difficult to concentrate due to disruption caused by a small number of pupils. Most pupils are polite and well mannered.

They hold doors open for adults and show care towards each other.

Pupils enjoy taking on leadership responsibilities. They are proud to represent the school at sporting events.

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

The school has recently developed many areas of the curriculum. In some subjects, such as mathematics, the curriculum is ambitious and sets out what pupils should learn and when. However, in some subjects, the school has not yet identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn.

Pupils in previous academic years have not always achieved well in end of key stage two reading tests. A new reading curriculum ensures that pupils read a wide range of texts. Pupils take books home matched to their reading ability.

Staff have completed training and know how to teach the new phonics programme. However, pupils do not start this programme quickly enough. Pupils who need extra help are accurately identified.

They do not always benefit from support focused on the precise aspects of reading that they need help with. Some pupils do not keep up with their peers.

Staff do not teach the curriculum consistently well.

Teachers' explanations are not always clear. They do not routinely check pupils' understanding. At times, teachers do not provide pupils with work which is matched to their existing knowledge.

Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to recall prior learning.

Children in the early years quickly develop positive relationships with staff and are enthusiastic about starting school. The early years environment allows children to develop their curiosity.

Staff help children to develop their vocabulary and social skills. However, children are not as well prepared as they should be for key stage 1. They do not develop the mathematical knowledge they need.

Some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not receive effective support to help them build their knowledge.

The oversight of the provision for pupils with SEND is insufficient. The school has been too slow to identify weaknesses.

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. However, staff are not always provided with precise enough advice about how to support pupils with SEND. Teachers do not routinely adapt their lessons well enough to meet the needs of pupils.

This means that some pupils with SEND are not consistently able to access the curriculum.

The school has recently introduced a new behaviour system. This system is not yet applied consistently.

Low-level disruption is not always addressed. Staff are not adept at managing the complex behaviour needs of some pupils. Most pupils are calm and respectful.

Pupils learn about how to keep safe, including online. They can talk confidently about the importance of staying physically and mentally healthy. Some pupils access a range of clubs and activities.

Pupils show some understanding of protected characteristics and understand key terms, such as discrimination. However, pupils are not able to talk about their learning of world faiths and religions. They do not recognise the differences between different belief systems.

Governors understand and fulfil their statutory duties. They visit the school regularly but do not have robust oversight of the quality of the school's provision. They do not yet have a secure understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development.

Staff appreciate the work that new leaders have undertaken to begin to improve the school. Staff support and care for one another. They are proud to work 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)

• Teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding. They do not always provide pupils with work that is matched to their existing understanding.

As a result, pupils' achievement is limited as they are not always able to build their knowledge. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and strategies they need to check pupils' understanding and provide them with work which enables them to build their knowledge. In subjects in which essential knowledge has not been identified precisely enough, teachers do not consistently explain important knowledge clearly.

This means that pupils can develop gaps and misconceptions in their understanding. The school should ensure that the curriculum identifies the important knowledge that pupils should learn and that teachers have the subject and pedagogical knowledge they need to be able to share important knowledge clearly. ? The school does not have sufficient oversight of the provision for pupils with SEND.

As a result, areas for development have not been identified and some pupils with SEND do not access a curriculum appropriate for their needs. The school should ensure that systems are in place to monitor the effectiveness of the support that pupils with SEND are accessing and that weaknesses can be identified and addressed. ? The new behaviour management system at the school is not yet being used consistently by all members of staff.

This means that there is a lack of clarity regarding expectations for pupils. This leads to learning being disrupted by the behaviour of a small number of pupils. The school should ensure that all adults are clear on the policy and procedures related to behaviour management and that the policy is applied consistently and fairly by everyone at all times.