Cambridge Road Community Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy attending school. They feel well cared for and safe.

Pupils know that the school has their best interests at heart. Pupils and their families benefit from high-quality support. Pupils are highly respectful of one another.

This begins with the kind, positive relationships that children learn in the early years.

Pupils are proud of their learning. By the end of key stage 2, pupils meet the high expectations that the school has for their academic success.

Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well and are ready for the next stage in their education.

Pu...pils have very positive attitudes to learning. For instance, they are attentive in lessons and work hard.

Their behaviour is exemplary.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips, visitors and clubs. For example, they can choose from yoga, football, book club and gymnastics.

Pupils make a valuable contribution to the life of the school through the many leadership roles on offer. These include being a librarian, member of the school council or behaviour champion. Through these roles, pupils develop key life skills such as confidence and the ability to keep on trying when circumstances seem tough.

Pupils learn to consider the needs of others. They willingly take part in the school's well-chosen fundraising activities.

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

Much of the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with SEND.

In most subjects, the school has identified the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. In these subjects, teachers from the early years to Year 6 know the key information that should be taught and when this should happen during each academic year. However, in a small number of subjects, the school's work on the curriculum is not as well developed as in other subjects.

As a result, a few aspects of the national curriculum are not included or covered in sufficient depth.

Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. From the early years onwards, they design activities skilfully to match the intended curriculum.

However, in some subjects, teachers do not routinely help pupils to retain key knowledge. This is because key learning is not revisited enough to make sure that it sticks in pupils' memories.

The school gives the teaching of reading a high priority.

Well-trained staff skilfully teach pupils to read. Pupils who struggle to keep up with the phonics programme receive effective and timely support to catch up. Pupils, including those with SEND, read books that are closely matched to the words and sounds they know.

The school works closely with parents and carers so that they know how to support their children's reading at home. Pupils benefit from the school's investment in high- quality fiction and non-fiction books in the new library. Older pupils enjoy choosing new books from a wide range of authors.

They know that reading is an especially important skill for life.

In most subjects, staff check that pupils know and remember their learning. Staff act promptly to provide pupils with the extra teaching and support that they need if they have misconceptions.

This is especially effective in phonics.

The school ensures that the needs of pupils with SEND, including those in the early years, are identified quickly and accurately. Staff make suitable adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND learn effectively alongside their classmates.

The school promotes pupils' personal development well. Pupils benefit from a carefully considered programme for relationships and sex education and health education. Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe, including online.

Staff teach them to be caring and thoughtful. Pupils understand and celebrate the differences between people. They develop a secure knowledge of the beliefs and festivals of different religions.

They demonstrate acceptance of others. For example, they show understanding in the way that they help pupils who might find it difficult to express their ideas in words.

The school builds aspiration successfully among pupils through, for example, the school's careers day and visits to a local college and high school.

The school is a calm, nurturing place, where pupils are encouraged to try their best. Pupils remain focused during lessons. Learning is rarely disrupted.

This is because pupils do not want to waste learning time for themselves or others. Pupils manage their own behaviour extremely well. This stands them in good stead for the next stage of their education.

The school considers how to support staff when changes are introduced. For example, it has invested in resources to reduce teachers' workload. Staff feel valued, and they support one another.

Members of the governing body contribute effectively to the priorities for further improvement. They are committed to their roles and are generous with their time, offering both support and challenge.

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 school's curriculum thinking is less well developed. This means that pupils do not learn all the key information that they should, including some aspects of the national curriculum. The school should review subject curriculums so that pupils are taught the knowledge that they need for future success.

• In some subjects, the school does not ensure that pupils are given sufficient opportunities to revisit and practise the key knowledge that they have been taught previously. This means that they sometimes start to learn new concepts when their previous understanding is not secure. Leaders should ensure that teachers are well equipped with suitable strategies to help pupils to remember what they have been taught.