East Herrington Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at East Herrington Primary Academy are respectful and eager to achieve well.

They have positive attitudes to learning and concentrate well in lessons. Teachers use regular opportunities for singing to help motivate and engage pupils in their learning. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Leaders have established clear routines and expectations for behaviour. These help to create a calm and orderly school environment. Adults provide additional support for pupils who may struggle to manage their behaviour.

This means that pupils' learning is not disrupted.

Pupils feel safe and enjoy lea...rning and playing together. They understand what bullying is and know that healthy relationships are based on respect and kindness.

Pupils say that 'teachers help everyone live together'. Teachers ensure that pupils learn to pass concerns on to a trusted adult when they are worried. Pupils know that adults will act quickly to deal with any problems, including any incidents of bullying.

Pupils enjoy attending a range of after-school clubs, including karate, swimming and football. Many pupils learn to play musical instruments such as the guitar, piano and harp. The sewing club and science, technology, engineering and mathematics club help pupils to develop additional talents.

Leaders provide pupils with exciting experiences, such as travelling to London to take part in the finals of a national choir competition.

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

Leaders continue to develop and improve the curriculum. They have clearly identified the essential knowledge and skills pupils must know at key points from the early years to Year 6.

Leaders adapted the curriculum to help pupils catch up after periods of absence due to COVID-19. This has ensured that all pupils, including those with SEND, are always building on prior knowledge. There have been recent changes to the curriculum for mathematics.

Leaders have made changes to the way teachers check how well pupils remember the curriculum. This is in the early stages of development and leaders have not fully checked the impact of this new system.

Leaders have made sure that all members of staff receive refresher training to help them teach phonics well.

Pupils read books that match their phonics knowledge. This is helping pupils to read with confidence and fluency from Reception onwards. Teachers skilfully identify gaps in pupils' learning and provide the extra support that pupils need to do well.

Pupils are enthusiastic about whole-class reading. This is because teachers choose the books that they read to pupils carefully. Pupils talk about their favourite books and authors such as 'King of the Cloud Forest' by Michael Morpurgo.

In Nursery, children enjoy repeating rhymes and retelling favourite stories. This helps them to learn and understand new vocabulary.Leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum which ensures pupils' knowledge builds on prior learning.

For example, in history, pupils' understanding of chronology develops well over time. By the end of key stage 2, pupils make connections and suggest reasons for historical events. They explore the lives of historical figures such as Dick Turpin.

Pupils debate the fairness of punishments for crimes committed in the past. They use this knowledge to make comparisons to modern Britain. This helps them understand the importance of history to their lives.

Pupils say, 'The past helps us plan for the future'. In physical education (PE), teachers give clear explanations. They model the skills they want pupils to learn.

This enables all pupils, including those with SEND, to demonstrate their learning over time. Leaders support teachers through ongoing training. This helps teachers to increase their subject knowledge.

Leaders use assessment well. They work well with parents, carers and external agencies to identify pupils' needs and to support provision. Leaders develop clear support plans for pupils with SEND.

They ensure that teachers know the specific resources and changes to the curriculum that will help pupils to achieve well. For example, adults support children in Nursery who are unable to speak. They use picture cards effectively to help children to communicate well.

High expectations and respectful relationships ensure that pupils focus well on their learning. This starts in the early years, where children play well together and learn to take turns. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, some pupils do not attend school as often as they should.

This is despite leaders' efforts to improve rates of absence.

Leaders provide exciting experiences to support pupils' personal development. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

They can explain that healthy relationships are loving and caring. They understand that unhealthy relationships include where people ignore each other and argue. Pupils appreciate regular lessons and assemblies where they can discuss and debate issues.

Leaders plan opportunities to help pupils learn about t fundamental British values. Pupils enjoy voting for playground leaders. This helps them to develop an early understanding of democracy.

Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. However, some pupils do not demonstrate a secure understanding of these faiths and the impact on the lives of those that follow them.

The trust supports the school well.

Governors and leaders from the trust visit school often. They challenge leaders effectively. Most staff report that leaders support them well.

All staff who made their views known to inspectors say they enjoy working at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders prioritise pupils' welfare.

They have thorough safeguarding procedures in place to identify pupils who may be vulnerable or at risk. Staff know pupils and their families well. All staff know the procedures for reporting concerns about pupils' welfare.

Pupils know who to go to if they have concerns.

Leaders ensure that all staff have regular safeguarding training and briefings to keep their knowledge up to date. Leaders work well with external agencies to keep children safe.

They make sure that they complete the appropriate checks on staff before they start working in the school.

As part of the curriculum, pupils learn about risks they may face as they get older, including online risks.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have recently revised the system for checking how well pupils have remembered mathematical knowledge and skills.

However, leaders have not checked the effectiveness of these new systems. Leaders must now check that new assessment system helps teachers to develop a better understanding of what pupils are learning in mathematics. ? The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school is too high.

These pupils are missing out on important aspects of their learning. Leaders, including those from the trust, must continue to work together with parents and carers to ensure pupils attend school regularly. ? Some aspects of the personal development curriculum lack detail.

In particular, the opportunities teachers provide for pupils to develop an understanding of other faiths and cultures. Consequently, some pupils do not know enough about the values of modern Britain. Leaders must ensure that pupils learn about the beliefs of the diverse faiths and cultures in the local and wider community.