Eastway Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that they feel incredibly welcome at Eastway Primary School. This includes all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils explained that the school is a caring and supportive learning community. Pupils said that staff know them well. A strong sense of family spirit permeates the school.

Pupils are eager and happy to be in school. They value the nurturing support that staff provide. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of pupils' learning and behaviour. They promote pupils' personal and academic development equally well. Children in early years get off to a strong start....

By the end of key stage 2, most pupils achieve well.

Pupils are polite and respectful towards each other and to adults. There is a calm atmosphere in school.

Pupils behave well in lessons and outside on the playground. Pupils were clear that if bullying happens, adults will sort it out quickly.

Staff ensure that pupils' mental health and well-being are at the forefront of their work.

For example, leaders create breakout spaces, which pupils use when they need time to reflect. This helps pupils to be ready to learn in lessons. Pupils spoke enthusiastically to inspectors about the school's therapy dog, Mr Stu Cockapoo, and how he helps them with any worries.

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

Since the previous inspection, the headteacher, senior leaders and governors have overhauled the quality of education that pupils receive at this school. They have taken effective steps to ensure that pupils benefit from a suitably ambitious curriculum. This includes for the school's two-year-old children and those children in the Nursery and Reception classes.

Leaders also provide a high-quality curriculum for those pupils who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND.

In many subjects, including in early years, leaders have set out the knowledge that they wish pupils to learn. In these curriculum areas, leaders make sure that pupils successfully build on their prior knowledge.

Teachers in these subjects select well-chosen activities to support pupils' learning. Overall, pupils, including those with SEND and those in the specially resourced provision, learn and achieve well. Children in early years are well prepared for the demands of Year 1.

Despite the overall strengths of the curriculum, in one or two subjects, leaders are currently refining what pupils need to learn in key stages 1 and 2. In these subjects, some aspects of pupils' learning are not delivered in the most logical order. Occasionally, this hinders how well some pupils learn.

In the main, staff use leaders' assessment systems well to establish what pupils and children know and can do. They address pupils' misconceptions in a timely manner.Staff use pertinent information about what pupils already know of the curriculum to design the next steps for pupils.

Leaders and staff make reading a top priority as soon as pupils and children join the school. Staff promote a love of reading at every opportunity. In the Nursery class, children engage well with stories and rhymes.

They also begin to learn some initial sounds. Children are well prepared to embark on their phonics lessons when they move into the Reception class.

Leaders make sure that all staff in school have been trained to teach phonics.

All staff provide timely support to pupils who may not be keeping up with their phonics knowledge. However, this support is sometimes not as effective as it could be in affording pupils sufficient opportunities to practise their reading fluency. A minority of pupils do not always understand what they have read.

Leaders have made sure that all staff are well trained to support the needs of pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision. Leaders work collaboratively with several external support agencies to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders address the additional needs of pupils with SEND well.

Staff appropriately identify children with SEND in early years to make sure that they receive the support they need. Staff successfully adapt the delivery of the curriculum to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve well. Children and pupils in the specially resourced provision also learn well.

Leaders ensure that pupils behave appropriately and staff apply the behaviour policies consistently well. Pupils respond positively to leaders' expectations and they concentrate well in lessons. They are keen to learn.

Disruptions to learning are rare, including in early years.

Pupils' personal development is a priority for all staff in school. They make sure that children in early years begin to learn about healthy relationships.

Pupils in the specially resourced provision learn how to be a good friend.

Pupils learn how to support their local community. For example, the Moreton in Bloom community project helps pupils and children to appreciate and look after the area that they live in.

Pupils have access to a wide variety of extracurricular clubs, including during the school holidays.

Governors have an accurate understanding of the quality of education that the school provides to pupils, including for two-year-old children and pupils in the specially resourced provision. Governors are cognisant of leaders' and staff's well-being and workload.

Staff told inspectors that they feel valued and appreciated.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in this school.

Leaders know their community well. Highly trained staff are alert to any signs that indicate that pupils or children may be at risk of harm. They make timely referrals to other agencies to ensure that pupils and children receive the support that they need.

Pupils learn to keep themselves safe, including when online. They are aware of what to do if they come across something that worries them. Pupils trust adults to help them with any concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In one or two subjects, leaders have not finalised their curriculum thinking. On occasions, this prevents teachers from delivering some aspects of the curriculum in the most logical order. Leaders must set out all the knowledge that they wish pupils to learn in these remaining subjects.

• A minority of pupils do not read as fluently as they could. This hinders their comprehension of words and texts. Leaders must ensure that these pupils have sufficient opportunity to develop their fluency in reading, alongside their phonic knowledge.