Butts Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Butts Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Butt's Primary School is happy and inclusive.

The school's motto of 'one school, one community' is at the centre of all the school does. Pupils are proud of their community promise of 'give and it will be given to you'. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and positive.

Pupils know who to talk to if they are worried. As a result, pupils feel safe, valued and a sense of belonging.

The school's values of being kind, fair, safe and ready to learn are the guiding principles for everyone.

Pupils know these and understand the importance of treating others with ...equity. Pupils behave very well in lessons and in social times. Pupils enjoy their lessons and talk about their learning and achievements with pride.

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The curriculum is ambitious for all, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Carefully tailored support and effective teaching ensure that pupils are achieving well.

The school provides a rich range of educational visits and clubs that extend learning. Activities include sports clubs, learning to play the ukulele and gardening club. Pupils are eager to take on positions of responsibility as subject ambassadors.

This helps them to develop confidence and leadership skills.

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

The school wants all pupils to study an ambitious curriculum that prepares them to become active citizens. In most subjects, for example mathematics, the school has ensured that the important knowledge to be taught is carefully ordered from the start of the early years to the end of Year 6.

Recent work on the art curriculum has meant that small steps in learning are clearly laid out. However, in other subjects, the curriculum is not as precisely thought out. The end points that pupils must know throughout their learning are not always clear.

This means that it is more difficult for pupils to build on prior knowledge. Pupils' knowledge of these subjects is less secure.

Teachers explain key information clearly.

They revisit prior learning to help pupils remember important information. In lessons, there is a focus on the key vocabulary pupils need to know. Teachers use questioning skilfully to check pupils' understanding and address any misconceptions.

The school quickly identifies pupils with SEND. Most pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with complex needs receive bespoke support from well-trained staff.

Adaptations to tasks and additional resources help pupils to complete the work set. Advice from professionals is used to support pupils with SEND well. As a result, most pupils with SEND make good progress.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. The well-resourced library at the centre of the school provides pupils with books from a range of different authors. Older pupils are proud of their roles as reading ambassadors.

They enjoy reading and like to organise activities such as 'Roald Dahl Day'. Phonics is taught consistently and effectively. Children learn to read from the start of school.

Teachers ensure that pupils benefit from regular opportunities to practise their reading using appropriately targeted books. Pupils who require additional support with reading are quickly identified. They receive effective help to develop their knowledge and fluency.

The school monitors pupils' attendance carefully. It works closely with individual families to identify reasons for the low attendance rates of some pupils. It takes effective action to provide support for these pupils and their families.

As a result, pupils' rates of attendance are improving.

The school has developed a wide-ranging programme for pupils' personal development. Opportunities to develop pupils' character are paramount in the school's thinking.

Pupils enjoy learning about how to develop a 'happy mind' and talk enthusiastically about the benefits of meditation. They know and appreciate that the community in their school is diverse. Working with the local community is very important to the school.

It has links with many organisations, such as the college, the allotment and the creative arts hub.

There is a strong sense of teamwork at the school. Staff are proud to work there.

They appreciate leaders' consideration of their well-being and workload when new initiatives are introduced. Those new to the profession settle quickly and get training and guidance to develop into effective practitioners.

Governors are regular visitors to school and have a firm understanding of its effectiveness.

They provide support and challenge in equal measure.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not all subjects have learning sequences that clearly identify the explicit knowledge that the school expects staff to teach and pupils to know and remember.

As a result, pupils do not develop new knowledge equally well across all subjects. The school should continue refining the curriculum so that the precise knowledge pupils need to learn from the early years to Year 6 is identified in each subject.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2014.