Clarendon Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The new headteacher, with good support from senior and middle leaders, is making rapid improvements.

She delegates responsibilities effectively and staff work well as a team. Working together, the leadership team has driven forward rapid improvements in teaching. As a result, current pupils in the school make good progress and achieve well in relation to their low starting points.

Pupils come into school with smiley, happy faces and a spring in their step. This is because they feel very safe and enjoy their learning. Exceptional attitudes to learning and exemplary behaviour, together with respectful and caring relationships, are hallmarks... of this successful school.

The quality of the learning environment is a real strength of the school. Well-led, effective early years provision and very good personal development and welfare support help children do well when they first start at the school. The curriculum engages pupils' interests because : it is broad, balanced and exciting.

High-quality enrichment activities further enhance pupils' enjoyment. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of all aspects of the school's work. The school website provides parents with a wide range of valuable support and information which they really appreciate.

Governors are very supportive of the new headteacher and know the school well. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The most-able pupils are not consistently challenged, particularly in mathematics. Not all questioning effectively extends and deepens pupils' understanding.

Targets set out in the school development plan are not all measurable and do not, therefore, show the impact of the school's work. The performance of teaching assistants is not monitored as rigorously as that of teachers.

Information about this school

This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above the national average. The pupil premium is funding for pupils who are, or have been, eligible for free school meals, or who are looked after by the local authority.

The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability is below the national average. The school meets the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The early years provision comprises a Nursery and two Reception classes.

Children attend the Nursery class on a part-time basis. Children in Reception attend full time. There have been significant staff changes since September 2014.

A new headteacher has been appointed and a large number have staff have been replaced. A new Chair of the Governing Body has also been appointed since the last inspection. The school holds a Healthy Schools Award.