Carrington Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive school where pupils get on well with each other. They recognise and celebrate the wide range of cultures, religions and backgrounds that make up their school.

They recognise the importance of British values, equality, diversity and inclusion.

The school's values are clear and embedded and convey high expectations. Pupils strive to show kindness, respect, readiness, confidence and excellence.

They are proud when they do. They value the recognition that they receive for modelling these, including through kindness certificates and recognition in 'Star Assembly'.

Pupils behave well.

On the whole, they are polite, courteous a...nd attentive. They welcome visitors warmly. They hold doors open for adults and each other.

Pupils take turns to talk and listen attentively to what others have to say. They value the rewards on offer, including moving up through the class recognition board and earning team points. Wearing a 'Purple Jumper' in recognition of exemplary conduct is highly sought after.

Pupils make a significant contribution to their school. The 'Eco', 'Events', 'Equality, Inclusion and Diversity' and 'Playground' groups plan and carry out work and events to promote their aims. The recent 'This is Me' day and the international food evening were highly popular.

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

Over the last year, the school's curriculum, including that for the early years, has been overhauled. It is broad, engaging and well thought out. Pupils, parents, staff and governors have all contributed to its design.

The underpinning 'golden threads' of democracy, sustainability and diversity are expertly woven into all subjects. The principles of 'windows and mirrors' help pupils to learn about the world in which they live and to be reflective. Across the vast majority of subjects, the curriculum is well planned and sequenced.

Content builds systematically on what has been taught before. However, due to the curriculum's relative infancy, in a small number of subjects pupils are at an early stage of knowing and remembering content. Additionally, in a small number of places, the curriculum lacks clarity about what pupils are expected to know and remember.

The school has worked swiftly to address weaknesses found at its last inspection and those identified in published outcomes in 2023. The new reading curriculum, along with a consistent and well-designed approach to teaching, has resulted in pupils being able to read and understand more complex texts. They learn and remember new vocabulary at an impressive rate.

A revised approach to teaching mathematics helps pupils to know and remember what they have been taught. The school's own assessments indicate that pupils' progress has increased significantly. Inspectors saw this reflected in lessons and books.

Early reading is taught well. Pupils learn phonics in a logical and systematic order. The books that pupils read are closely matched to the sounds that they know.

Pupils soon begin to read with fluency and comprehension.

Children get off to a positive start in the early years. A wide range of well-planned activities help them to learn the curriculum.

They remember what they have experienced and been taught. For example, one child in the Reception Year eloquently explained to an inspector what a windmill is and how it works. This was related to what they had learned when reading 'The Little Red Hen'.

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. It puts appropriate support in place. Adults are skilled at adapting teaching to ensure that these pupils can access the same curriculum content as their peers.

Teaching assistants provide appropriate, well-targeted support.

The design of the curriculum, along with a wide range of extra-curricular activities, supports pupils' personal development well. Older pupils routinely help out and support younger ones.

Play leaders are available to support anyone who might need someone to play with. There are many opportunities to learn musical instruments, including clarinets, brass instruments and guitars. There are well-planned and sequenced curriculums for personal, social and health education (PSHE) and safeguarding.

Leaders have transformed much at the school in a short period of time. They have focused on and prioritised the right things. The school's curriculum has been improved.

There is a common understanding of what constitutes effective teaching. At all levels, leaders understand their roles and responsibilities. Weaknesses have been tackled well.

The views of pupils, staff, governors and the wider community have been used to help shape improvements. The school has a clear vision and a capacity for continued improvement.

The work of the governing body is well organised.

It has a broad skill set that it draws on to provide leaders with effective challenge and support. However, it has not considered carefully enough how unavoidable, long-term staffing absences have impacted on leadership capacity to avoid too many responsibilities being assigned to a few members of staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Due to the curriculum's relative infancy, in a small number of foundation subjects pupils are at an early stage of knowing and remembering content. This means that some gaps in their learning remain. The school should ensure that it continues to implement its new curriculum and that it results in pupils consistently knowing and remembering the curriculum content.

• In a small number of places, the curriculum does not make explicitly clear what pupils are expected to know and remember. This means that teachers risk interpreting the curriculum in different ways. The school should ensure that the curriculum consistently, across all subjects, makes clear what pupils are expected to know and remember.

• The governing body has not considered carefully enough how unavoidable, long-term staffing absences have impacted on the school's leadership capacity. This has meant that, in some cases, too many responsibilities have fallen to too few people. The governing body should ensure that leadership responsibilities are appropriately distributed.

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