Clifton With Rawcliffe Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in a calm and supportive environment. They live up to the high expectations adults have for their behaviour and achievement.

The school has fostered a sense of community, where pupils are happy and feel they belong. A strong ethos of respect is conspicuous throughout the school. This can be seen in how pupils care for each other and in their positive attitudes to staff and visitors.

They are extremely courteous and polite.

Pupils' behaviour throughout the school is exemplary. They play and learn together with friendliness and cooperation.

In lessons, pupils are highly attentive and engaged. They are motivated to do their best and to mee...t the ambitious expectations of their teachers. Children in early years behave exceptionally well.

They follow clear, well-established routines. They engage with expertly planned activities with focus and perseverance.

The school provides a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and sporting activities.

These are well attended including by pupils who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils fulfil leadership roles with pride. For example, school prefects oversee calm transitions from playtimes back into lessons with praise and encouragement for their peers.

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

Pupils benefit from a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. The school has set out the important knowledge that pupils should learn. Pupils progress well through the curriculum from some extremely strong foundations established in the early years.

For example, in PE lessons, pupils build on the physical skills they have previously practised and secured in Nursery and Reception. The mathematics curriculum prepares pupils well for their next stages. By the end of their time in school they acquire fluent and efficient written methods.

They apply these methods well across their written work. Children in the early years have many opportunities to learn and consolidate early mathematical knowledge. For example, by using tokens to 'buy' their morning snacks, in preparation for their future learning about money.

In lessons, teachers' clear explanations contribute to pupils developing their understanding of concepts well. Teachers skilfully introduce and reinforce important vocabulary. In science lessons, pupils learn scientific knowledge in meaningful contexts.

For example, pupils learn how to work scientifically through practical and experimental approaches. Pupils in Year 1 explore how waterproof materials are, while pupils in Year 5 consider materials' permeability. While teachers check pupils' knowledge well in lessons, occasionally they are not consistently identifying and correcting where pupils have misconceptions.

The school has designed a process that enables them to carefully identify pupils with SEND. They work closely with wider agencies and parents and carers when agreeing targets for these pupils. Teachers make considered adaptations to the curriculum for pupils with SEND.

They access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Some of these pupils also benefit from expert adult support.

The school places a very high priority on pupils learning to read.

Many pupils take joy and pleasure in reading. One pupil, expressing the view of others, commented that reading 'is like a calm holiday in your head'. Children in Reception and pupils at the early stages of learning to read benefit from highly effective phonics lessons.

These lessons quickly develop pupils' phonics knowledge. If anyone slips behind or struggles, they are quickly identified and expertly supported to keep up. Pupils with SEND and those with English as an additional language also benefit from focused support for their reading.

Children in early years get off to a fantastic start to their education. The school has expertly considered the curriculum, activities and environment to ensure that children's learning is maximised. For example, nursery children enjoy regular focused outdoor learning sessions.

In these sessions they partner with their 'muddy-buddy' and develop their knowledge and skills across a broad range of exciting and engaging activities.

Through the curriculum for personal, social and health education, pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. The school ensures pupils have opportunities to discuss, debate and engage with views that differ from their own.

Pupils explore concepts such as tolerance and respect through a programme of well-planned assemblies.

Strong collaboration and systems of support bring significant benefits to the school and across the trust more widely. The governing body and trust share the same commitment to the school's vision and values.

The governing body is skilled, knowledgeable and benefits from regular training and updates. It knows the school well.

Staff appreciate the supportive culture in the school.

Many acknowledge the benefits afforded by the open-plan design of the building. This helps them to work closely together and learn from each other.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasions misconceptions in pupils' knowledge are not consistently identified and addressed. This means that gaps in pupils knowledge persist. The school should ensure that where pupils have misconceptions or gaps in knowledge that these are identified quickly and addressed.

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