Claydon Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Claydon Primary School. They consider that it is a special place to learn and be with their friends.

The school's 'five C's' of culture, community, character, curriculum and collaboration thread through its work. These help pupils to make the right choices. They all strive to 'be the best they can be'.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils to do well. Pupils build trusting relationships with adults. They are respectful, whether working in class or playing outdoors.

Pupils enjoy their learning. They willingly help and support one another. As one pupil said, 'Everybody respects everyone at this school.'



Pupils ...behave well. Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils consider that bullying does not occur at their school.

They know what bullying looks like. Pupils know that if it did happen, adults would deal with it quickly.

Pupils take part in different local events.

This helps them to think about the needs within their local community. It encourages them to be active citizens and to understand their responsibilities in the wider world.

The majority of parents appreciate how staff work with their children.

One parent reflected this, describing the school as 'a great school with a strong sense of living its values and where demonstrating the right behaviours is as important as academic achievement'.

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

The new leadership team has acted quickly to build a collaborative staff team. Together, they have ensured that the curriculum is well planned and organised.

From the start of early years through to Year 6, leaders have identified what pupils need to learn and know. Leaders provide many training opportunities for staff. This means that staff have a secure understanding of how to teach the curriculum and meet the needs of the pupils they teach.

Staff value the training and support they receive from leaders.

Teachers regularly check what pupils remember and can do. They often check on pupils' learning through skilful questioning.

Teachers use the information to adapt their planning or deal with any misunderstandings pupils may have. They make use of pupils' contributions in lessons to build pupils' thinking and understanding.

In a few subjects, curriculum plans are new and assessment systems have not been fully developed.

In these subjects, leaders have not yet identified all the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and how best to check this. Some curriculum leaders are new to their role. They are being well supported to develop their expertise.

Leaders have rightly prioritised reading. They have introduced new approaches to teach pupils to read. They have ensured that staff are well trained to build pupils' phonic knowledge.

Most pupils read books matched to the sounds they know. For a few pupils, books are not well matched. They do not help pupils to gain the confidence to read fluently.

Older pupils are well supported with their independent reading. They enjoy reading challenges and daily stories read by adults. Pupils are building a love of reading.

Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the right support. Staff know the pupils well and accurately identify their needs. Teachers plan effectively for these pupils.

They adapt their plans to enable pupils with SEND to access the same opportunities as their peers.

Pupils understand the importance of tolerance and respect. Different clubs and activities provide opportunities to build character and develop talents.

Pupils talked excitedly to inspectors about their recent residential trip. Leaders continue to review and develop the curriculum, especially to enhance pupils' knowledge about life in modern Britain.

Clear routines contribute well to the orderly school environment.

Pupils treat each other with kindness and care. Their relationships are positive and encouraged by the conversation prompts placed on each table at lunchtime.

The multi-academy trust has been highly effective in recruiting and training new leaders.

It continues to provide support and training for new and aspirant leaders. The trust and local academy committee provide good levels of support and challenge. This holds leaders to account for the decisions they make.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know that keeping pupils safe is important. They ensure that staff are well trained to recognise any matters that may be of concern.

Staff understand how to report their concerns. They know that every bit of information may be needed to safeguard pupils' welfare. Leaders maintain detailed records and respond appropriately when concerns are raised.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum. They know about the dangers when they are online and how to report any concerns to adults.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not all subjects of the curriculum provide the sufficient details required to inform teachers' planning.

Leaders have not yet developed ways of checking the impact of some aspects of the curriculum, such as science. Leaders do not know how well pupils achieve over time in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is fully developed and that they evaluate how well pupils build their knowledge across the curriculum by providing the time and training for subject leaders to carry out these evaluations.

• A few pupils are not provided with books that are well matched to the sounds that they know. This means that they are not developing the confidence they need to read accurately and fluently. Leaders should ensure that every child has books that are matched to the phonics they know to help them to learn to read quickly.