Chase Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Chase Lane Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Chase Lane Primary enjoy school life. They are kind, friendly and respectful to each other.

Staff care about the pupils and their families. They know the pupils well and do everything they can to meet pupils' individual needs. There is a true spirit of community here.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. From the early years, they establish a set of 'golden rules'. This helps to create a calm and orderly environment.

Pupils behave well. They listen to teachers, follow instructions and work hard. Bullying is rare.

When it does happen, l...eaders deal with it effectively. Pupils are safe here.Pupils take an active part in the life of the school.

Leaders meet with members of the school council and listen to pupils' views. Pupils' ideas help to develop the school, for example in its approaches to behaviour and sustainability. Older pupils take on roles as well-being ambassadors, sports leaders and prefects.

Leaders provide pupils with a diverse range of opportunities to broaden their experiences. Pupils attend forest school and there are various other activities, such as sports, choir, gardening and theatre club. This is a school where pupils can develop their talents and interests.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. From Nursery to Year 6, they have identified the knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn. In the early years, children learn through exploration and play.

The early years curriculum prepares children well for more structured learning in Year 1. In Years 1 to 6, leaders have developed cross-curricular topics. These include 'Toys from around the World' in Year 2 and 'Ferocious Pharaohs and Magnificent Mummies' in Year 5.

Pupils learn a wide range of subjects through these topics, including history, geography and art and design. The knowledge in these subjects is well organised. This means pupils build up their knowledge and skills in increasing depth and complexity.

Leaders prioritise reading. They understand its fundamental importance in pupils' education. Children develop their communication and language skills well from the start of the Nursery Year.

From the start of Reception, all pupils learn to read using phonics. Reception and Year 1 teachers teach the school's phonics programme well. Pupils learn to blend sounds together to read with increasing fluency.

Pupils who need it, get extra help in learning to read. By the end of Year 1, a high proportion of pupils reach age-related expectations. However, in Year 2 and beyond, some class teachers do not use phonics consistently to help pupils decode unfamiliar words.

Pupils read a diverse range of books in class. Leaders have chosen books that reflect pupils' cultural backgrounds. This provides pupils with positive role models.

For example, Year 6 pupils read 'Now or Never: A Dunkirk Story' by Bali Rai. Pupils are developing a love of reading. They make good use of the library and read often, both in school and at home.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use it well to help pupils know and remember more. For example, in mathematics, teachers revisit what pupils have learned before.

They build up pupils' mathematical knowledge and skills in a logical way. Teachers work together with teaching assistants to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders identify pupils' needs with speed and accuracy.

They provide the extra help these pupils need to access the curriculum. Pupils learn without disruption and achieve well.

Leaders have developed a comprehensive personal development programme.

Pupils learn about relationships in an age-appropriate way. Teachers promote discussion and debate about important issues, for example equality and diversity, and physical health. This helps pupils to get a deeper understanding of such issues and appreciate the relevance to their lives.

Pupils celebrate events such as Black History Month, International Day and Romania Day. They learn to understand and respect people with different backgrounds and beliefs. They also enjoy learning about nature and the environment.

Indeed, pupils in the school's 'green team' are active in making the school a more sustainable organisation.

Leaders are providing a high-quality education for pupils. Governors hold leaders to account and fulfil their statutory responsibilities well.

Together, school leaders and governors ensure that they serve the local community. Leaders involve parents and carers in their child's education. They listen to their views and respond to their needs.

Staff enjoy working here. They feel valued. Leaders listen and respond to staff over matters such as workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They provide staff with regular training.

This ensures that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to help keep pupils safe. Staff are alert to the potential safeguarding risks to pupils. They report concerns swiftly to the appropriate leaders.

Leaders have developed in-school provision to help pupils at risk. They work well with external agencies to secure the help pupils need. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, including online.

Leaders also work with parents to raise their awareness of the safeguarding risks to their children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• From Year 2 onwards, some teachers do not use phonics systematically to help pupils read unfamiliar words. This means that some pupils, who are still at a relatively early stage of reading, are not making as much progress as they should with their reading fluency.

Leaders should ensure that all teachers from Year 2 to Year 6 receive training in the teaching of phonics. They should also ensure that these teachers use phonics consistently when teaching pupils how to read.

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 July 2013.

Also at this postcode