Carrfield Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Carrfield Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Carrfield Primary Academy is a happy and welcoming school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel that it is a safe place to be.

Leaders have created an environment in which pupils can flourish. They have high aspirations for all pupils. They believe that all pupils can do well.

Leaders constantly reflect on how they can improve the experience of pupils. Everyone works together to ensure that pupils are the best that they can be.

Pupils are happy and welcoming of guests.

They behave well throughout the school and at breaktimes. They feel that everyone is treate...d fairly. Pupils understand what bullying is.

They say that it is rare and trust that adults would deal with it swiftly.

Pupils have opportunities to experience a range of activities that enrich and enhance the curriculum. These include a variety of trips and residential visits.

Pupils enjoy engaging in extra-curricular activities, such as gardening, art and a range of sports clubs. These clubs are inclusive and open to all. Pupils appreciate having opportunities to take on leadership roles.

Pupils have roles as play leaders and support other pupils at playtime.

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum. They have identified the knowledge that they want pupils to learn across all subjects.

There is a clear sequence of learning from Reception to Year 6. In subjects such as mathematics, teachers use their good subject knowledge to enable pupils to apply their knowledge securely over time. In foundation subjects, such as history, pupils build their knowledge of important ideas, such as monarchy and political leadership.

Teachers make adaptations for pupils who have gaps in their knowledge or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have planned for pupils' knowledge to grow progressively. Teachers ensure that pupils revise and revisit prior learning to secure their knowledge.

Some aspects of the foundation curriculum are less well implemented. Teachers do not consistently set pupils tasks that enable them to demonstrate their learning. On occasion, teachers' questions do not focus sufficiently on the important things pupils should remember.

Leaders have developed a culture where books are celebrated and reading is prioritised. Children in the early years learn phonics successfully by following a precise programme. The school's chosen phonics programme is taught consistently by teachers who are experts in the teaching of reading.

Leaders ensure that teachers are trained and supported to teach reading well. Pupils' books are closely matched to the sounds they know. This helps pupils to develop their fluency.

If pupils struggle or fall behind in reading, they are quickly identified and supported to keep up.

The school's agreed strategies to support pupils' handwriting are not consistently realised. This contributes to too much variation in the quality of pupils' handwriting.

Pupils with SEND are supported to progress through the curriculum. Systems for identifying, supporting and monitoring these pupils are very effective. Some of these pupils benefit from adult support and adaptations to the curriculum to meet their needs.

Children get off to a very good start in the early years. Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge, skills and qualities they want the children to acquire. They ensure that they provide a range of opportunities for the children to learn and develop.

Children have opportunities to learn through role play. For instance, they learn about money in a 'shop' or keeping healthy in the 'doctors' surgery'. Children develop their construction skills by using hammers and saws.

Relationships between children and adults are extremely positive. There are strong routines, and these help to create an environment where behaviour is excellent.

Pupils recognise and consider the impact of their actions on each other and the wider world.

They are inclusive and considerate of the difference in others. They develop into responsible and respectful citizens. Leaders prioritise and promote their personal development.

They learn about how to keep healthy and about the importance of a healthy diet.

Governors and leaders are mindful of staff well-being and workload. Staff describe the school as a positive place to work.

The results of the staff survey were overwhelmingly positive. Governors know the school well. They understand what needs to improve.

They challenge and hold leaders to account effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff receive regular training and updates in relation to safeguarding. They know the signs to look out for if pupils are at risk of harm and how to refer those concerns. Leaders keep detailed records of any concerns about pupils' safety and of the support given to pupils.

Appropriate checks are made on those seeking to work with children.

Pupils talk confidently about how to keep themselves safe, including when using technology.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is variance in how consistently the school's agreed handwriting policy is applied.

This means that standards of handwriting are not good enough. Leaders should ensure that handwriting is taught consistently well. ? In some foundation subjects, teachers do not check pupils' learning carefully enough.

This means that teachers do not know if pupils remember their learning or know how to apply it. Leaders should ensure that there are suitable arrangements for checking on pupils' learning so that staff can use this information to better inform their teaching. ? Teachers do not consistently set pupils tasks that enable them to demonstrate their learning.

When this occurs, pupils do not build their knowledge well. Leaders should ensure that staff develop their understanding of pedagogy so that teaching helps pupils to successfully deepen their knowledge in all subjects.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 February 2013.