Eastfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is in a period of transition. There have been many recent changes to systems and procedures.

Most parents and carers at Eastfield appreciate these improvements to the school. As one parent commented: 'The school has changed dramatically. It has a new lease of life.'

However, expectations of what pupils should achieve are not fully realised. Some of the curriculum, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), varies in quality. This holds back pupils from knowing and remembering more.

Pupils enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer. The 'aspiring sports leaders' work alongside coaches to delive...r activities after school for their younger peers. Visits and experience days in school are carefully considered so that they link to pupils' learning.

For example, children in the early years use the school grounds and farm visits when learning about different animals and habitats. All pupils have equal access to these opportunities.

The school rules have been simplified to 'be kind and be respectful'.

Older pupils follow these well. However, some pupils in key stage 1 do not fully comply with school routines. This inhibits them from learning in a calm and orderly environment.

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

The school's curriculum has been reorganised to ensure that the breadth and ambition of the national curriculum is met. The trust supports the school with these developments. However, some of this redesign is not complete or, in some subjects, is inconsistently implemented.

Some staff do not have the necessary subject knowledge and expertise to deliver the planned curriculum. Many leaders are at the early stages of understanding how to make checks on the subject for which they are responsible. This limits how well pupils know and remember more over time.

In some subjects, teachers encourage pupils to use vocabulary to explain their understanding. In these lessons, pupils are asked to recall what they have learned previously. This helps them to connect ideas and concepts.

However, this is not typical across all subjects or across key stages. Teachers sometimes overlook errors in pupils' work, including for pupils with SEND.

Pupils love reading, even during social times.

The 'reading shed' in the school's playground is a place where books are shared. The reading ambassadors encourage their peers to read recommended texts. Local bookshops work with the school to consider which books should be promoted at school fairs.

Pupils learn to enjoy poetry alongside contemporary and traditional stories.

Most pupils learn to read well. The school ensures that reading books are well-matched to pupils' stages of reading development.

The early reading programme is delivered effectively by most staff. Regular checks help teachers to understand what sounds need to be revisited. Extra lessons are provided for pupils who may need help to catch up.

The knowledge that some pupils with SEND need to know is not precisely identified. Support documents for these pupils are not as specific as they could be. Sometimes, some pupils do not receive the right equipment to help them to overcome barriers to their learning.

This hinders the progress that pupils with SEND can make.

Children in the early years get off to a strong start. They develop secure relationships with adults and their peers.

They learn to be independent and demonstrate self-help skills. For example, they use cutlery to serve their own snack and learn to recycle their waste. Children in the Reception classes learn to hold a pencil with a correct grip.

Recently, the school has improved the early years outdoor learning space. These new areas invite children to use communication and language in their play. However, routines for behaviour are not consistently embedded in key stage 1.

Sometimes this results in learning being disrupted.

Pupils who uphold the school's 'character counts' receive special recognition in assemblies. These values include being kind, compassionate and tolerant.

Pupils told inspectors that everyone would be welcome at the school, no matter their background. They learn to appreciate the values of modern society, including the right of expression and respecting different viewpoints. Pupils know that a healthy mind is just as important as exercise and diet.

They welcome the 'calm corners', the 'peace garden' and the school farm where they have opportunities to be still and reflect.

The trust has worked alongside the school to ensure systems to check on pupils' attendance and punctuality have a positive impact. Where needed, the school supports families to ensure pupils attend school regularly.

All staff enjoy working at this school. They appreciate the actions the school has taken to reduce their workload.

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 knowledge that pupils should learn and recall is not precisely identified. In other subjects, the quality of how teachers deliver the curriculum and/or address pupils' misconceptions varies. This holds back pupils' learning and does not help them to know and remember more over time.

The school must ensure the curriculum is coherently ordered, taught and assessed so that pupils can know and remember more over time. Pupils with SEND do not always receive a curriculum that is well matched to their needs. SEND support documents are not precise.

Some pupils with SEND do not receive the right equipment to reduce their barriers to learning. This does not help pupils with SEND to develop independence and fluency in their knowledge of the curriculum. The school must ensure that pupils with SEND receive a curriculum that enables them to know more over time and ensure that any barriers to learning are minimised.

• The leadership of some subjects is not fully established. As a result, the school is not yet precisely identifying what is going well and what actions are needed to improve the delivery of the curriculum further. The school should provide subject leaders with the knowledge and expertise to monitor the implementation of the curriculum so they can identify how it could be developed further.

• Routines and expectations in behaviour for pupils in key stage 1 are not embedded. This inhibits these pupils from learning in a calm and orderly environment. The school must ensure that expectations for behaviour and conduct are consistently implemented throughout the school.