Carrwood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. The relationships between adults and pupils are caring and supportive. Pupils feel safe and trust adults.

For example, although incidents of bullying and falling out occur, pupils say that adults deal with them immediately, to resolve any issues.

Pupils' behaviour in school is good. Pupils and adults alike are very clear about the reward and consequence system.

Everyone follows it. This means that pupils quickly focus during their lessons and are ready to learn.

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils.

The school's motto, 'dream big', permeates through school. Leaders plan a curriculum to encourage pupils to a...chieve, not only in their work, but when they leave school. They do this in several ways, such as visits to local universities.

One pupil's view, 'Never give up on your dreams', reflects the views of many. Pupils have ambitions to undertake a variety of careers, such as palaeontologists, astronauts, psychologists and illustrators.

Pupils enjoy the range of opportunities leaders provide for them to explore their talents and interests.

There are a range of lunchtime and after-school clubs on offer. These include gardening and a choir, as well as sports activities. For those wishing to develop a career in entertainment, the school's media suite contains equipment for pupils to record and broadcast radio shows.

Pupils can develop their leadership skills through a range of opportunities. For example, they can apply to become a pupil parliament member or a librarian.

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

Pupils enjoy learning a broad and balanced curriculum, which leaders have carefully planned.

Leaders know pupils well. They ensure that there are many opportunities for children to develop their language and vocabulary. This starts from the early years, where children love listening to the many rhymes and stories that adults read to them.

Staff plan activities that encourage children to use a range of vocabulary based on traditional tales. Children are eager to share their excitement around making troll masks, using the language they have learned. Leaders instil the love of reading further by encouraging parents to foster good reading habits from birth to Year 6.

Older pupils enjoy reading. They have a range of books to choose from.

Leaders have chosen a phonics programme that meets the needs of all their pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

All staff receive regular training and coaching sessions. As a result, staff deliver reading lessons well. They quickly identify pupils who fall behind.

The phonics 'champion' provides the extra support that pupils need. This helps pupils to read with accuracy and confidence.Pupils are successful in other subjects, such as mathematics, computing and music.

Leaders have thought carefully about the precise knowledge they want pupils to acquire. They ensure that pupils have many opportunities to revisit what they have previously learned. This helps them to remember and gather new knowledge.

Staff regularly check pupils' understanding. They adapt their teaching and support pupils, who may have missed prior learning to catch up. However, in some other subjects, although there is a curriculum in place, leaders are not as clear about the exact knowledge pupils should learn.

There is too much information for teachers to deliver. This makes it difficult for teachers to check what pupils should remember.

Leaders identify and plan support for pupils with SEND so that they are successful.

They work with teachers to make adaptations to lessons. As a result, pupils with SEND can access the same learning as their peers. Leaders plan a bespoke curriculum for pupils with specific needs who attend the resourced provision.

These pupils enjoy a range of activities, such as milking a cow, using a rubber glove and shearing a sheep made of foam. This instils a sense of excitement and wonder. Consequently, they thrive.

Pupils, including the children in early years, enjoy their learning and focus during lesson times. This means that little learning time is lost in lessons. New children settle into routines quickly.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves fit and healthy through the wider curriculum.They learn about respecting each other and healthy relationships. They know and understand what different drugs are and their effect on the human body, such as caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

Their mental well-being is supported through a dedicated nurture team. Pupils say this supports them with managing friendships and their emotions.

Weekly debates and lessons develop pupils' moral understanding about different faiths and beliefs.

They are clear about what links different faiths and what those differences are. However, pupils' understanding of fundamental British values is limited.

Governors have an accurate view of the improvements that leaders have made and what they need to do to get better.

Governors and leaders have focused on the right things at the right time. They have dramatically improved the school, a fact that staff are in agreement about. Staff are proud to work at the school, and they appreciate leaders' mindfulness of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff know pupils and their families well. They are well trained and know the signs of neglect and abuse.

There are effective systems in place to report and record any safeguarding concerns, which are quicky acted upon by leaders. Leaders ensure that families who need additional support receive the necessary help.

Leaders adapt their personal development curriculum to any community or national issues that may arise.

For example, leaders invite external visitors to educate pupils about how to keep themselves safe in relation to dog safety and road safety. As a result, pupils understand the risks posed to them, including when they are online. They know that they cannot trust everything they might read online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subjects are not as well developed as others. The exact knowledge that leaders want pupils to know is not refined enough in some subjects. Leaders should ensure that the exact knowledge they want pupils to remember by the time they leave school is clear so that teachers can teach and revisit this learning.

• Pupils have limited understanding of British values. As a result, they are not being prepared as well as they might be for life in modern Britain. Leaders must further develop their curriculum to ensure that British values are widely understood by all pupils.