Carpenters Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Carpenters Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and inclusive learning community. Pupils are proud of their school.

They appreciate all that the school provides for them. One pupil, summing up the views of many, said, 'Our teachers challenge us to do better. We support each other at Carpenters.'



Pupils enjoy coming here and work well together. They know that teachers care about their well-being. Leaders use many strategies to support pupils' emotional and mental health.

For example, a weekly 'chill and chat' club for pupils to raise concerns informally or access to an art therapist for ...more formal support.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils in all areas of their learning. The provision for phonics is strong and contributes well to pupils' wider development.

All pupils in Years 3 to 6 have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Pupils enjoy this, including the termly opportunities they have to perform for the wider school community.

Pupils' behaviour is positive.

Pupils said that, on the rare occasions that bullying happens, staff deal with it quickly. Pupils are clear that they feel safe in school and that their peers 'help you feel better if you are sad'.

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

Children in the early years are well prepared for Year 1 and beyond.

Reading is a priority as soon as children join the school. Leaders are clear that this will help children learn successfully in all subjects. The phonics programme is well structured and ambitious.

By the end of Year 1, the large majority of pupils develop the phonics knowledge they need to read confidently and accurately. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow this early reading programme and many achieve well.

All pupils, including those with SEND, study the full range of national curriculum subjects.

Leaders know and plan what knowledge they want pupils to learn in each topic they study. Effective teaching means that, by the end of Year 6, pupils make strong progress in English and mathematics. Teachers select activities that encourage pupils to revisit and remember important ideas and information.

However, leaders do not make the best use of assessment in all areas of the curriculum. In the foundation subjects pupils' learning is not routinely checked to ensure that they have remembered what they have been taught. Consequently, progress in these subjects is not as strong as it is in English and mathematics.

In subjects such as music, history and computing leaders are taking effective steps to improve teachers' subject knowledge. They rightly recognise that this is key to deepening pupils' learning in these subjects. Class teachers benefit from working alongside specialists from the local music hub.

Pupils enjoy instrumental lessons, but their progress is not as strong as it could be because they are unable to use instruments or take them home to practise in between lessons. Consequently, pupils' musical learning is not as well embedded as it could be.

The school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage.

Leaders are determined that pupils have rich cultural experiences to support their wider development. Curriculum topics begin with a 'hook' to stimulate pupils' curiosity and often involve a visit. For example, a topic on ancient Egypt for Year 4 includes a visit to the British Museum and a talk from an expert on mummification.

Staff also provide pupils with after-school activities, including sport and the arts. Pupils enjoy attending and exploring different interests.

Pupils show good levels of maturity in their learning They behave well in classrooms.

Lessons usually flow smoothly because learning activities are well-structured and engaging.

Leaders and governors help staff to manage their workload. They promote staff well-being with great thought.

For example, leaders have reduced the amount of assessment data that teachers need to produce each term. Staff said that they appreciate the supportive and determined leadership of the headteacher.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff and governors ensure that the safety and well-being of pupils are a priority. Pupils learn about staying safe in person, as well as when online. For example, assemblies use a safeguarding 'question of the week' to help pupils remember key issues.

Leaders have developed art therapy and counselling support in school. For example, the youngest pupils are able to use 'colour monster' pictures to help them explain their concerns.

Staff are kept well informed by leaders and use the school's systems effectively to keep pupils safe.

Leaders work with external agencies to support pupils' needs.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Assessment is not used as well in the foundation subjects as it is in English and mathematics. Pupils' knowledge and understanding are not routinely checked to make sure that they know more and remember more over time.

Leaders should ensure that assessment is used effectively in the foundation subjects so that pupils make stronger progress as they move through the school. . Pupils enjoy having instrumental lessons and class teachers benefit from working alongside specialists to improve their subject knowledge.

However, pupils' progress is inhibited because they are unable to practise playing their instruments in between lessons. Leaders should explore ways that pupils can more regularly rehearse the skills they learn so that they make better musical progress.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2016.