Carlton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Carlton Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from an effective quality of education at this welcoming school. Pupils enjoy lessons and have good relationships with staff. Staff think carefully about the best ways to help pupils learn.

For example, pupils create elaborate models of medieval houses to understand life in the past. Children in early years learn about mental health and well-being by recreating a health spa facility. Most pupils make good progress through the curriculum and achieve well in published assessments.

Pupils behave calmly. They f...eel safe and that adults care for them. Pupils learn to have high expectations and embody the school's motto of 'let your light shine'.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular clubs. For example, they participate in performing arts, crafts, cookery, den building and football. Pupils develop their wider cultural experiences and resilience through these clubs and through different residential trips.

For example, pupils experience a sleepover at school, a city break to York and a trip to an adventure centre.

Pupils are proud of their leadership positions. They talk about the impact they have had on the school.

Pupil 'eco-warriors' have recently spent time redesigning and renovating the school's wildlife area. 'Happiness heroes' promote happiness and support staff in making the school a happy place. This helps prepare them for life after school.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that inspires pupils to learn. Pupils are immersed in creative ways of learning. They enjoy these exciting experiences and can relate them to their learning.

For example, children in early years join a 'space station' crewed by staff astronauts and role play journeys into space. Pupils in history lessons learn how to mummify oranges and explain how the process was carried out by Ancient Egyptians.

Staff have strong subject knowledge.

Pupils benefit from engaging lessons. Pupils review their learning regularly through 'rocket retrieval' tasks. This helps them to remember important knowledge.

Teachers emphasise the practice of subject-specific vocabulary. For example, pupils are encouraged to 'turn and talk' to each other to connect information. As a result of this quality, pupils can confidently explain complex ideas such as the rise of the Tudor dynasty.

Teachers assess pupils' learning effectively. Pupils confidently demonstrate their learning to the class and provide feedback to their peers. During the inspection, pupils corrected each other's misconceptions on cubed numbers in mathematics.

Children in early years debate the next shape in a sequence pattern. Pupils learn from feedback and improve their knowledge and skills as a result.

Pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities have their needs accurately identified.

They are provided with the necessary adaptations in class to support their learning. Pupils with significant social, emotional and mental health needs receive tailored support through the school's nurture provision. This enables them to access the curriculum and achieve well.

Pupils make positive progress through the curriculum. Children in early years rapidly acquire the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in Year 1. Pupils develop increasingly complex knowledge and skills as they progress through school.

The school has taken action to enable older pupils to work at greater depth. This has begun to have an impact. Although more pupils are now achieving at higher standards, these changes are not fully embedded.

The school ensures that pupils develop a love of reading. Pupils enjoy daily stories that staff read. They talk with enthusiasm about their favourite books.

They enjoy visiting the school library. Pupils who are weaker at reading receive swift intervention that helps them to improve.

The school has created a highly positive behavioural culture.

Pupils are proud to have their name entered into the 'book of brilliance' for positive behaviour. Children in early years learn strong behavioural routines from the outset and how to manage their emotions. Most pupils attend school regularly.

The school has effective strategies in place to improve the attendance of a small number of pupils.

Pupils develop a thorough understanding of life in modern Britain. Pupils can explain in detail how to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy.

They learn about puberty and changes to their bodies and emotions. Pupils develop deep-rooted moral principles.

Leaders have significantly developed the school's provision and improved standards in a short space of time.

Staff are united in a shared vision to provide pupils with the best possible education. Staff are well trained and supported by leaders. The school's collaborative approach has reduced workload for staff.

Governors have a keen understanding of the school. They provide incisive support and challenge to school leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Although improving, there are still occasions where pupils do not learn at the depth that they could. This limits aspects of achievement for some pupils, including in external assessments. The school should ensure that refinements to the curriculum are thoroughly embedded so that pupils learn in depth across all areas.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2020.