Eden Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Eden Primary continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Helen Graff. This school is the sole school in Eden Primary Trust. Other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Helen Graff, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steve Miller.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school encourages pupils to act responsibly, be creative and respect others. Leaders have high academic expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils demonstrate maturity and kindness. Pupils regularly discuss their idea...s and share their thoughts in class sensibly and articulately. One parent or carer, typical of many, said: 'There is a lovely community of teachers, parents and pupils.

The school instils a love of learning in its pupils.' Pupils take on responsibilities within the school's community, which encourage positive working relationships. For example, older pupils regularly read to their younger peers.

Pupils deepen their understanding of the subjects that they learn through a wide range of experiences, including visits and outings. The school uses its own grounds and nearby woodlands to provide pupils in all years the opportunity to learn outdoors, across the curriculum.

Many pupils attend clubs including martial arts, cooking and football.

Leaders also organise many activities to develop pupils' character, such as sports competitions, chess tournaments and interfaith projects. Pupils are taught about different world cultures. Staff also emphasise the importance of supporting the local community.

As part of this, pupils regularly raise money for charity, such as the recent sponsored Zumba dance.

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

The school has designed a broad curriculum for pupils. In some subjects, the school has recently updated curriculum thinking, ensuring that pupils build a secure understanding of important knowledge over time.

For example, in history, the school has carefully planned how pupils will develop their understanding of the order of historical events over time. In a few subjects, the school is in the process of clarifying in detail the key content, knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. Leaders have recently focused on improving pupils' writing skills and the impact of this is evident in the pupils' work.

Typically, work in lessons routinely supports pupils to understand and consolidate key learning. For instance, in mathematics, teaching enables pupils to recall multiplication tables fluently and to apply this knowledge to solve problems. In some subjects, curriculum thinking is less clear in identifying what pupils should learn and when.

Teachers, supported by knowledgeable subject leaders, have a secure understanding of the curriculum that they teach. The school ensures that pupils' understanding is checked. For example, in phonics classes, teachers check that pupils can read and pronounce new and unfamiliar words.

Reading is prioritised across all year groups, starting from Reception. Those pupils who require support, receive it through extra phonics classes each day. Leaders have successfully instilled a love of reading and ensure that pupils read high-quality texts that link to the topics that pupils study.

For example, pupils have the opportunity to donate a book of their choice to the class library on their birthday.

Leaders have a secure understanding of the needs of pupils with SEND. The school swiftly identifies pupils that may need additional support.

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND achieve the same ambitious goals as their peers, and that teachers adapt work and resources so that these pupils can achieve their best.

Those responsible for governance support the school's leaders to continue to improve the school. Members of the board of trustees regularly come into the school to meet with pupils, parents and staff.

Additionally, they often 'check in' with senior leaders. All leaders ensure that staff workload and well-being is a top priority.

Pupils in the school are enthusiastic to learn.

They are very polite, conscientious and inquisitive. They are excited by what they are learning.

Pupils' attendance at school is very regular.

Leaders clearly explain their high expectations for pupils' attendance. They also build strong professional relationships with families from the moment a child begins at the school.

The curriculum beyond the classroom is wide-ranging.

Pupils attend residential outings throughout their time at the school, which foster their resilience and team-building skills. For example, pupils in Year 2 are taught to be independent during a sleepover at the school. Pupils in Year 3 go camping and are encouraged to work together as a team.

In Year 6, pupils attend a one-week residential trip outside London, where they walk across gorges, carry out geography fieldwork and visit different places of worship.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders have not outlined the core knowledge that pupils need to know, remember and revisit over time, in as much detail as they could.

As a result, sometimes classroom work in these subjects does not support pupils to learn what they should as effectively as they could. The school should ensure that the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember are clearly outlined across all subjects, and that classroom activities consistently support pupils to learn the planned curriculum.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2013.

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