Cubitt Town Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring and welcoming community school where everyone is treated as an individual.

Families say staff are friendly, supportive and go 'the extra mile'. Each morning, there is a warm greeting for pupils at the school gate. Pupils feel very safe here.

They know there is always someone they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns.

The school is highly ambitious for all pupils. It prepares them very well for the next stage of their education.

Pupils love coming to school. They talk enthusiastically about their learning. Subjects are brought to life through the many fieldtrips and visits.

For example, to London landmarks and a w...ide range of cultural events. There is a strong team spirit in the school. Pupils look forward to participating in tournaments and competitions.

Through visits to different places of work, pupils find out how their learning in school prepares them for their future careers.

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. Pupils take pride in being courteous and polite to each other and adults.

Curiosity is encouraged. Pupils take every opportunity to ask questions and share their point of view. Conversations between pupils and their peers, as well as pupils and adults, are plentiful throughout the day.

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

Since the last inspection, the infant and junior schools have amalgamated. Leaders have managed this change exceptionally well. Staff enjoy working collaboratively.

They are highly dedicated and passionate about the subjects they lead. This is helping to drive forward the schools' ambitious aims for the curriculum and pupils' wider development.

The new curriculum is carefully sequenced from the Nursery to Year 6.

It is broad and ambitious and, in some subjects, exceeds what is expected nationally. Lesson activities are engaging and sharply focused on the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. Dedicated curriculum spaces, such as the science lab and design and technology room are used for high quality specialist teaching.

This helps pupils develop subject-specific skills such as conducting and evaluating experiments. In some subjects, the curriculum is in an earlier stage of development. Where this is the case, pupils' knowledge is not as secure.

Across the whole school, there is a sharp focus on vocabulary. This is helping to support pupils' language development and writing. In lessons, frequent checks on pupils' learning help the school to identify and address any gaps in understanding.

In English, pupils' written work is of a high quality. However, in some subjects the quality of pupils' written work is variable.

Classrooms are purposeful, calm learning environments.

Staff have high expectations for all pupils. Low-level disruption is not tolerated. Pupils are active during their lunchbreak where there are many organised games and activities.

They show kindness to one another, making sure all pupils feel included. The school have successfully increased the sporting activities of girls through their 'Girls Active Leaders'. Pupils take their leadership responsibilities very seriously.

As a result, they make a highly positive contribution to the school community.

Children in the early years eagerly follow well-established routines. Clear instruction helps children to build their concentration.

Over time, children participate in activities independently. The outdoor space is carefully organised to encourage children to practise a range of different physical movements and to develop their balance and coordination.

The school supports a high number of pupils with additional needs.

Staff are skilled at identifying these needs swiftly. They ensure pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the support they need. Parents and carers are extremely positive about the support the school provides.

The school is determined that every pupil will become a confident and fluent reader. Staff ensure that pupils who need extra help with their reading receive it promptly. Progress through the phonics programme is carefully monitored.

Effective adaptations are made to the phonics programme for pupils with additional needs. As a result, these pupils make strong progress from their different starting points. Pupils look forward to regular story times where they enjoy reading from a wide range of texts.

The school is highly ambitious for pupils' personal development. The school's oracy programme is expertly delivered. From the Nursery onwards, pupils are encouraged to form their own opinions.

As they move up the school, they develop the skills to explore and debate complex issues respectfully. Through the curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education, pupils develop detailed knowledge and skills about how to stay safe and maintain good physical and mental health.

Attendance remains a high priority.

The school's rigorous approach to attendance is starting to have an impact. Through the school's 'Community House', dedicated staff work tirelessly to ensure families have the information and support they need.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the curriculum is less well-developed. The school is still in the process of refining the content of the curriculum and the knowledge pupils should learn. The school should continue this work to ensure that the clear curriculum thinking evident in some stronger subjects is replicated in the remaining subjects so that pupils achieve equally well across the curriculum.

• In some subjects, expectations for pupils' written work are not as high as they are in English. As a result, the quality of pupils' written work in these subjects, including handwriting and presentation, is variable. The school should ensure there are opportunities for pupils to practise what they have learned in English across the curriculum, so that they produce written work of a consistently high quality.