Cannington Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Cannington Church of England Primary School value being part of and contributing to, their local community and school community.

Children in Reception get off to a strong start. Clear routines and high expectations mean that children enjoy their learning and feel safe. The environment in the early years provides many opportunities for learning and purposeful play.

However, in contrast, pupils in Years 1 to 6 do not learn the curriculum as well. The school's expectations about what these pupils can achieve has not been high enough.

Pupils generally behave well and are keen to learn.

However, occasionally they feel frustrated when a small num...ber of pupils do not behave as well as they should.

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their leadership, talents and interests. They enjoy taking part in sports competitions and trips.

Older pupils value the responsibility of being buddies for children in Reception class, serving on the school council and being head pupils.

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

The school has developed the curriculum recently so that it now identifies what pupils should learn, and in which order. However, the school has not yet ensured that all staff have the expertise to deliver the curriculum as intended.

This means that the work given to pupils does not ensure they build on prior learning and retain new knowledge. Pupils do not recall knowledge confidently in some subjects.

Activities do not always help pupils to remember important information, make links with previous learning, or deepen their understanding.

This is stronger in the early years foundation stage (EYFS). In the EYFS, children benefit from clear explanations. They are shown clearly how to complete work.

The school uses every opportunity within the day to develop children's knowledge of phonics, mathematics and social skills.

The school has strengthened the reading curriculum. The youngest children regularly read books matched to the sounds they know.

They enjoy story time and talking about the books they have heard. The school ensures that pupils who need to catch up receive additional support. However, this is not always done effectively by well-trained staff.

Older pupils read a range of texts that also contribute to their understanding of the world. As a result, most pupils have positive attitudes towards reading. Pupils' achievements have improved in reading.

Weaknesses in the writing curriculum have now been rectified, but many pupils still have significant gaps in their writing knowledge. For example, younger pupils have not secured basic writing skills before they are asked to complete more advanced writing tasks. Written work is often not high quality.

In the EYFS, there is a sharp focus on developing children's fine motor skills. Children regularly write and draw. This means they are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

In the EYFS, the school identifies issues early, so children receive additional support when needed.

The school has systems in place to check pupils' learning. These systems are particularly effective for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

These checks on pupils' learning ensure that pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well supported in school. The school works closely with parents and pupils to ensure they achieve well and enjoy wider opportunities. However, too many older pupils who do not have additional needs have gaps in their knowledge that require extra support.

Staff understand the behaviour policy and build positive relationships with pupils and their families. However, sometimes a small number of pupils do not meet the school's expectations of behaviour in class and at play times. While most pupils behave well, the behaviour of a few affects the way some pupils feel towards their peers and towards school.

All pupils have access to additional outdoor education, alongside their physical education lessons. Most pupils understand how to keep themselves safe, including online. Children in the EYFS learn to share, recognise their emotions and take responsibility for their classroom.

The school has experienced significant challenges in recent times. There has been a lack of oversight in some areas of the school's work. Governors now have the knowledge and expertise needed to support the school moving forward.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils are safe and know they can discuss any worries they may have with any adult in the school.During the inspection, gaps were identified on the school's single central record.

However, the school does have appropriate assurances about the suitability of staff who work with their children.Staff know how to report safeguarding concerns in a timely manner. However, actions, decisions and outcomes of safeguarding referrals are not always recorded.

While children have not been placed at immediate risk or harm, the school's current system is not compliant with statutory guidance. Records are not routinely monitored with rigour. As a result, leaders cannot readily show when and how they have ensured that vulnerable pupils have been protected from harm and neglect.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The implementation of the school's curriculum is variable in quality, including in early reading. The work given does not always enable pupils to know and remember more. This means that, while the school now has a well-planned curriculum in place, the impact of this is not apparent in all subjects.

The school must ensure that pedagogical choices enable pupils to build knowledge over time and deepen their understanding of individual subjects. ? Historic weaknesses in the writing curriculum mean that too many pupils do not write well enough for their age. These pupils have gaps in their learning.

The school should address these gaps in writing knowledge, so that pupils write well in all subjects and are well prepared for their next steps. ? Sometimes a small number of pupils do not meet the school's expectations of behaviour. The behaviour of a few affects the way others feel towards their peers and towards school.

The school should ensure all pupils are supported to understand what is expected from them. ? Some of the school's record keeping is not robust. Most significantly, the actions, decisions and outcomes of safeguarding referrals are not always recorded.

Governors do not currently have an accurate oversight of this. In addition, this information is not stored in an accessible and logical way. The school must urgently work with the local authority to ensure that systems and processes, including for safeguarding, are improved and in line with statutory guidance.

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