Claremont Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils bask in the warmth, care and support that they receive from the adults in this friendly school. This helps pupils to feel safe, happy and secure. Pupils know that they will be listened to if ever they have any worries.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are enthusiastic about their education. They place a high value on their studies. The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement.

Many pupils are reaching those expectations and learning well across the curriculum. The school instils in pupils an aspiration for the future. For example, it supports a range of pupils in attending specialist classes at the l...ocal university each weekend.

Pupils' behaviour is calm and orderly. They know how to move around the school considerately, showing respect for those pupils who may be in lessons. Pupils speak kindly to one another.

They enjoy learning about each other's different cultures and faiths, celebrated through special days in school and visits to different places of worship.

Pupils regularly visit their local area and beyond. The school ensures that pupils experience a range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests, such as playing in the steel pan band, taking part in national chess competitions and performing plays by Shakespeare.

This prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

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

The school has created an ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum. This curriculum has been carefully organised so that pupils build a rich body of knowledge over time.

Many pupils join the school part way through the year. This means that, often, groups of pupils do not learn the school's curriculum from the early years to Year 6. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

The school makes sure that pupils have plenty of opportunities to revisit earlier learning. This helps to ensure that those pupils who are new to the school do not miss out on important knowledge. The school also has a team of specialist staff to support those pupils who may be new to speaking English.

Pupils typically achieve well. However, the 2022 published data shows that pupils' progress and attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6 was significantly below the national average. This is not a typical picture for this school.

It was mostly the result of the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The school identified the issues that led to these results quickly and took swift action to remedy the situation. For example, aspects of the curriculum have been revised and the school has been very successful in making sure that pupils attend school regularly.

As a result, current pupils are progressing well through the carefully crafted curriculum.

Reading has a high priority at the school. A number of improvements have been made to the reading curriculum.

Staff have received training to enable them to teach phonics effectively. Children in the Nursery Year learn the essential knowledge to prepare them for learning to read. Children in the Reception Year learn sounds and letters straight away.

They achieve early success by reading books that contain sounds that they have learned. Pupils learn more complex letters and sounds as they move into Year 1. Any pupils at risk of not keeping up with the pace of the phonics programme are identified quickly.

They receive timely and effective support to help them to catch up. Pupils, including those with SEND, learn to read well.

Staff act as role models to promote reading.

Pupils read from the rich variety of books that the school provides. This helps them to develop a real love of reading.

Pupils enjoy their learning.

The school has made sure that staff fully understand how best to deliver the learning in many subjects. In most subjects, pupils learn well because the activities that they complete help to make their learning memorable. However, at times, the activities that pupils complete do not help them to learn as effectively as they could.

When this happens, pupils remember their learning less well.

There are regular checks in place to make sure that pupils understand the knowledge that they are learning. Teachers typically use this information to ensure that pupils do not have any missing knowledge.

This ensures that pupils build their knowledge securely. In a small number of subjects, however, this information is used less effectively. This means that misconceptions in pupils' learning are not identified or addressed quickly enough.

Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and given the support that they need to access the learning alongside their peers. The school works with a range of external agencies and specialists to meet the needs of its pupils, including those with SEND.

Pupils work hard in lessons.

They concentrate and do not distract others. They are supportive and work well together. In the early years, children learn to work together by helping tidy equipment away carefully.

They sit sensibly and understand the importance of listening to others.

Pupils take on leadership responsibilities with pride. Older pupils act as role models when helping younger pupils during their lunch break.

Eco-council members help develop the school grounds. Pupils learn about how to stay safe, including when they are online. They learn about important events in their local area and discuss different viewpoints.

This helps prepare them for life beyond school.

The school ensures that it considers how any changes to the curriculum might affect staff's workload. It is mindful of any extra tasks and makes sure that the staff are able to carry out their roles effectively without any extra time burdens.

Parents and carers appreciate the regular contact and support that they receive from school. The school encourages them to play an active role in their child's education. For example, reading meetings inform parents of how best to support their child's reading at home to match the way it is taught in school.

Parents particularly appreciate the information that is shared with them before their children started in the early years.

Members of the governing body know the school well. They are proficient in their roles.

This enables them to support the school effectively. Governors have ensured that the school has focused on improving the curriculum so that pupils learn well from it.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• At times, and in a small number of subjects, learning is not delivered as effectively as it could be. This means that, on occasion, some pupils do not gain the knowledge that is identified within the curriculum. The school should ensure that the curriculum is delivered consistently well so that pupils learn all that they should.

• In a small number of subjects, the school does not use assessment information about pupils' knowledge and understanding as well as it could. As a result, a small number of pupils carry misunderstandings or gaps in their learning. The school should make sure that it uses the information gathered from the checks on pupils' learning to help pupils build a secure body of knowledge.

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