Buglawton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this nurturing and welcoming school. They form strong and positive relationships with the staff who care for them.

Pupils feel listened to and valued for their individuality. They feel safe and secure. This is seen especially within the early years, where children feel confident to explore activities that support their development.

The school sets high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils achieve well in most subjects across the curriculum.

Pupils are friendly and well behaved.

They conduct themselves well when moving around the school. At breaktimes, pupils ...enjoy playing games together.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips and visitors that enhance the curriculum.

For example, pupils in key stage 2 visit York to complement their work in history. Pupils also have access to a wide range of after-school clubs. These include crocheting, science and a variety of sports clubs.

Older pupils enjoy responsibilities such as 'safety stars', school councillors or play leaders, all of which aim to make the school an even better place to be.

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

The school has recently refined the curriculum, including in the early years. The school has identified the specific knowledge it wants pupils to know in different subjects.

Where this intended learning is clear, teachers design engaging tasks to develop pupils' understanding. Teachers check pupils' learning by asking questions and identifying misconceptions to help deepen pupils' knowledge. In these subjects, pupils remember their learning well.

However, a small number of subjects are at an earlier stage of development. In these subjects, there are still gaps in pupils' prior knowledge. These gaps are a consequence of the previous curriculum, which the school is now working to resolve.

Nonetheless, pupils find it difficult to recall their previous learning in these subjects, which makes it hard for them to build new knowledge on what they already know.

The school has a range of procedures in place to identify any pupils who may have additional needs. Those with SEND are identified quickly and suitable support means that they achieve well.

There is a highly effective phonics programme that ensures that children in the early years develop a strong knowledge of letters and sounds. In Year 1, pupils learn to blend these sounds quickly to read accurately. For those pupils who need additional help to keep up with the phonics curriculum, there is skilled support on hand.

This helps these pupils to catch up quickly.

In the early years, children benefit from a well-thought-out curriculum that focuses on developing their language skills. This supports them to communicate and cooperate well with others.

Children are curious learners. Although they are prepared for their next steps in education, some of the support that they receive is inconsistent. At times, the quality of the adult interactions with children does not move their learning on as well as it could.

The school's new behaviour policy is setting even higher standards for pupils' behaviour. Teachers are proactive in ensuring that there are no disruptions to learning. Pupils appreciate the fair and consistent way in which all staff manage any incidents of misbehaviour.

Leaders are taking all reasonable steps to improve pupils' attendance. They know individual pupils and their families well. The school has a thorough approach to ensuring that pupils attend school regularly.

Pupils have a strong knowledge of other faiths and cultures. For example, they understand the similarities and differences in how different religions celebrate their beliefs. Pupils know what it means to treat others equally.

This is informed by the school's values. Pupils understand how to keep themselves healthy. They have been provided with strategies to look after their own mental health, for example, by using Yoga techniques.

Pupils learn how to maintain healthy relationships. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Governors are knowledgeable about the quality of education at the school.

They use the information that they gather, including external reports, to challenge and question school leaders appropriately. They support leaders well to bring about continuous school improvement.

Staff appreciate the way in which the school helps them to reduce their workload.

The measures taken to support teachers' well-being ensures that teachers can remain focused on the work that they carry out with the pupils.

Parents and carers are positive about the school. They value the approachability of staff.

For example, the school has put in place a parent council where parents can share their opinions about what is going well and what they would like to see improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils find it difficult to recall their prior learning in a small number of subjects.

This is because they have gaps in their knowledge from the previous curriculum. This prevents them from building on their prior learning successfully. The school should ensure that gaps in pupils' learning are identified and addressed quickly and effectively so that pupils benefit fully from the improved curriculum offer.

In the early years, the quality of some adult interactions is variable. This means that, at times, children's learning and communication are not developed as well as they could be. The school should ensure that staff are equipped to help deepen children's knowledge and improve their learning further.