Charlton Wood Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Charlton Wood Academy is a successful school where pupils thrive.

All adults share high aspirations for pupils. Pupils work hard to meet these.

Parents' views are overwhelmingly positive.

They typically comment on the caring staff and dedicated support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They move around the school with a quiet focus.

Classrooms, corridors and social times are orderly and calm. From the beginning of the Reception Year onwards, pupils are kind and respectful to one another. They diligently follow the school's routines.

Pupils show highly positive attit...udes to learning. They feel safe at school.

Pupils know and understand the school's values of respect, understanding, perseverance and pride.

They go out of their way to help and support other pupils.

The school provides opportunities for pupils to develop leadership skills. For example, they enjoy roles as members of the pupil parliament, corridor monitors and environment leaders.

Pupils enjoy the range of clubs, including dance, cookery and a range of sports. This helps them to develop their talents and interests.

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

The school's curriculum is broad, rich, ambitious and well planned.

It sets out the knowledge pupils are expected to learn in a range of subjects. Pupils follow a coherent sequence of learning in subjects. Staff present information clearly.

They show pupils what they expect them to do. For example, in mathematics, the work pupils receive is chosen carefully so that new knowledge and vocabulary build on what has gone before. Pupils have regular opportunities to improve their reasoning skills.

This develops and deepens their ability to solve complex problems.

Reading is a priority in the school. The sharp focus on pupils' communication and language skills weaves throughout the curriculum.

This starts in Reception, where children learn to read as soon as they start school. Pupils are given books that closely match the sounds they learn. They practise phonics regularly.

This helps them become fluent readers. Staff's accurate assessment in phonics and early reading means pupils' needs are quickly met. Pupils get extra help to catch up.

High-quality reading materials inspire pupils to develop a love of reading. Pupils love listening to adults read carefully chosen books to them. They develop accuracy, confidence and their vocabulary.

The school continues to improve the curriculum in several subjects. Where the curriculum is strongest, staff frequently check how well pupils are learning before they move on. As a result, pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding.

They confidently recall what they have learned in a range of subjects.The implementation of the curriculum in some subjects is at an early stage. Staff are developing the use of assessment in some areas.

This means they do not always identify which pupils have gaps in their knowledge and adapt the curriculum quickly to meet the needs of pupils. As a result, some pupils do not build the depth of knowledge they need for current and future learning.

The school has high expectations for pupils with SEND.

Staff work closely with specialists and parents. Pupils with SEND receive extra teaching and pastoral support from staff. This means they learn the same curriculum as other pupils.

The management of pupils' behaviour is exceptional. This starts in Reception, where children learn how to play together and share. Pupils take pride in all they do, from supporting a member of staff on the playground to helping one another in times of need.

Pupils' conduct is exemplary. They are persistent in their learning. The school takes appropriate actions that support pupils to attend well.

The early years provision in this school is exceptional. Staff secure children's habits and routines from the very beginning. Children play happily together and develop friendships.

Warm, highly positive relationships exist between children and staff. Well-trained staff support children's language development exceptionally well.

The school support pupils' personal development well.

Pupils know how to stay physically and mentally healthy. They learn about people of diverse backgrounds and faiths. Pupils hold respectful and tolerant attitudes towards others.

Governors and trustees share the school's vision. They know what is going well in school and where further improvement is needed. They question and hold leaders to account for their actions.

Well-thought-out systems allow them to check the effectiveness of the school's actions. The school ensures that staff are well supported to manage their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the school does not set out how pupils' learning will be assessed. As a result, pupils' errors and misconceptions are sometimes missed. The school and trust should clarify the use of assessment in these subjects and use the information to check the impact the curriculum has on pupils' learning.

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