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Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school's work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.
What is it like to attend this school?
The school has set high expectations for all groups of pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
This is evident in work in English and mathematics. However, weaknesses in the curriculum and the way it is delivered mean that pupils do not build rich bodies of knowledge in each subject.
Pupils are happy to attend this warm and nurturing school.
Relationships betw...een adults and pupils are respectful and trusting. These relationships reflect the school's values of respect, community, enthusiasm, environment and kindness. Behaviour is good.
Pupils are polite and welcoming. They are extremely supportive of one another in the classroom and around the school building. Pupils are keen to join in with class discussions.
The curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to learn how to stay safe, including when using the internet. Pupils take responsibility for a wide range of roles in school. For example, they take part in a vote to appoint the school's 'Thomson Team', whose members act as ambassadors for the school.
Pupils enjoy participating in visits to interesting places that bring the curriculum to life. For instance, pupils enjoyed visiting the 20-21 Visual Arts Centre to create self-portraits with different materials.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has started to review the curriculum.
In mathematics, it is clear what pupils must know each year. The school provides pupils with a range of opportunities to develop their problem-solving skills. Pupils build on what they know as they move through the school.
However, in some subjects, the school is still in the process of refining the curriculum. It has not identified the most important things pupils must know in these subjects. The lack of important knowledge makes it difficult for teachers to know what to emphasise when they design learning activities.
This means that pupils' knowledge does not build securely over time.
The school does not use assessment information effectively. Leaders do not use the information gathered to inform future teaching.
This means that, sometimes, gaps in pupils' knowledge are not addressed. This places a limit on what some pupils can achieve.
The school has ensured that staff have the training they need to support pupils to develop their reading skills.
It is clear which sounds pupils should know as they move through the school. Staff check the sounds that pupils know when they join the school in Year 3. Teachers check that pupils are keeping up as they move through the reading curriculum.
Pupils receive extra support if they start to fall behind. The books that pupils read help them to practise the sounds they have learned.
The school has clear systems to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Teachers and additional adults provide these pupils with the support and advice they need to help them access the curriculum. However, weaknesses in the way that the school uses assessment information limit the progress these pupils make.
The school is careful to promote equal opportunities.
Pupils recognise that democracy is important as it gives everyone an opportunity to have an opinion. They enjoy voting for others who want to take on roles in school. Pupils have a limited understanding of different beliefs.
However, pupils know they should be respectful of different cultures and backgrounds. There are a range of opportunities for pupils to take part in after-school clubs. The school has formed good links with local clubs that help pupils pursue their interests.
Pupils receive effective pastoral support. They know that adults are there to help them. As a result, pupils feel safe.
They appreciate the support they receive when they have personal issues. The broad range of opportunities pupils receive helps them to be well prepared for life in modern Britain.
The school has had significant changes in staffing.
The school is taking action to make necessary improvements. There are plans in place to ensure governors check the school's performance more thoroughly. However, improvement plans have only recently been developed.
In some subjects, the school has very little oversight of how the curriculum is delivered. As a result, it cannot accurately evaluate the quality of the curriculum or how well it is taught. The school takes care to consider staff's workload.
Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel there is a supportive team ethos.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
What does the school need to do to improve?
(Information for the school and appropriate authority)
• Leaders have not identified important knowledge in some subjects. This means that teachers cannot emphasise this knowledge when teaching the curriculum. As a result, pupils do not build on what they know or can do in these subjects.
The school should provide clarity about what pupils should learn so that their learning builds securely over time. ? The school does not check how well the curriculum is being taught carefully enough. This means that it cannot be sure if pupils are learning what is set out in the curriculum.
The school does not know what needs to be done to improve how well pupils learn in each subject. The school should ensure that there is a rigorous process in place to evaluate how well the curriculum is delivered. ? In some subjects, teachers do not check what pupils have learned.
In other subjects, these checks are carried out but the information gathered is not used to inform future teaching. This means that some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge that are not swiftly identified and addressed. The school should ensure that there are appropriate assessment strategies in place and that staff have the expertise to use them consistently well.
Background
Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.
This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.
We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2016.
