Clough and Risegate Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are rightly proud of the school.

A pupil, echoing the views of many, commented, 'It's an honour to be at this school. It means a lot to all of us.' Another said, 'It's adventurous and fun!'

Pupils are welcoming, polite and respectful.

They are treasured, nurtured and cared for. Their welfare and well-being are supported through strong pastoral care. Pupils and adults live out daily the school's motto, 'Together everyone achieves more'.

High expectations of behaviour are met. Lunchtimes are joyous and sociable occasions. Pupils care for one another.

Older pupils delight in looking out for, and playing with, younger pupils. Pupils have... positive attitudes to learning. They achieve well.

Pupils gain from varied outdoor experiences. They marvel as they explore a beehive. They take pride in their fruit and vegetable growing.

Pupils take their leadership responsibility seriously, for example, as road safety officers and house captains. They value a wide range of clubs and activities, including the choir, crochet and crafts, drama and sports clubs.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

A parent, typical of many, commented, 'This school is absolutely fantastic, and I wouldn't want my child anywhere else.'

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

Leaders have developed the school's curriculum to be broad and as ambitious as the national curriculum. Many subject curriculums, including English and mathematics, are well thought out.

In mathematics, pupils revisit and build learning over time. They consolidate their understanding of key mathematical knowledge and concepts from the early years to the end of Year 6. However, pupils do not always deepen their learning as well as they might in some subjects, including in English, mathematics and some other subjects.

The school has identified and ordered the key knowledge that pupils need to learn in most subjects. For example, in physical education (PE), pupils acquire and develop skills in a range of activities. They build confidence and expertise in a range of sports.

However, the school has not fully identified all the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn, and when, in every subject.

Staff have good subject knowledge. They check pupils' understanding in lessons.

They use assessment well in English and mathematics to check pupils' learning over time. However, the school has not fully embedded its approach to check what pupils learn in the long term in all the other subjects. This limits the school's ability to identify how well pupils are able to recall their learning over time.

Staff enable pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to access the same curriculum as their peers. Staff skilfully identify these pupils' needs and work with professionals external to the school when needed. Teaching is adapted to meet pupils' needs, for example through breaking tasks down.

Many parents of pupils with SEND recognise the positive provision their children receive. Pupils with SEND learn well.

The school has developed a strong culture of reading.

Staff are skilled in teaching phonics. Pupils learn to read well. They become fluent in their reading.

The reading curriculum develops pupils' comprehension and supports them in developing their writing. The love of reading is nurtured. Daily story time is captivating.

Pupils are introduced to a range of literature.

Children get off to a positive start in Reception. Staff have high expectations.

Children play and work together and independently. They understand and follow well-embedded routines. They benefit from a curriculum that meets their needs.

Children build their learning over time. For example, they practise their writing and number work when playing in the 'garden centre' and the mud kitchen. There is a strong focus on children's personal, social and emotional development.

Children learn well in Reception, including children with SEND.

The school has developed a comprehensive, well-planned and carefully sequenced personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. This is complemented with inspiring outdoor learning focused on the school's 'Farm to Fork' provision.

Pupils learn the importance of healthy eating as they grow and cook their produce. They learn about keeping safe in the community and when online. For example, pupils learn about beach and cycle safety.

They are prepared very well for current and future life. They are nurtured to be responsible citizens. They have a particularly strong understanding of British values.

Pupils develop a deep appreciation of diversity, equality and inclusion. They deepen their understanding of right and wrong. Opportunities for pupils' personal development are outstanding.

Leaders know the school's strengths and priorities for improvement. They foster and maintain very positive relationships with the local community. Governors fulfil their responsibilities well.

Staff are proud to be part of the school and its family ethos. They value and benefit from training opportunities available. They appreciate that leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils learn well in core and most foundation subjects. However, at times, pupils are not challenged to extend and deepen their learning as much as they could.

Consequently, they do not always achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils are consistently challenged to further deepen learning. ? The substantive and disciplinary knowledge that pupils should learn, and when, is not precisely identified in all subjects.

Where this is the case, pupils do not build their knowledge, understanding and skills as well as they could. The school should ensure that the subject curriculums are equally ambitious, thus enabling pupils to build knowledge, understanding and skills progressively. ? Leaders have developed thorough and effective approaches to summative assessment in the core subjects.

However, this is not the case in all foundation subjects. Consequently, the school does not have a secure understanding of how well pupils understand and remember what they have learned in these subjects in the long term. The school should ensure that effective summative assessment approaches are embedded so that staff know what pupils know and understand and what pupils need to revisit or learn next in all foundation subjects.