Edwalton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make full use of the extensive outdoor facilities which helps them to develop a love of learning.

For example, they enjoy looking after the school's farm animals as well as playing and learning in the woods. Pupils relish helping the site manager by working on the farm. Some pupils volunteer to feed the animals in the school holidays.

Pupils are especially proud of their recently acquired alpacas: Machu, Picchu and Chewpaca! They maintain garden plots to grow food. Pupils told us that they like the many opportunities to take part in sports and other activities.

Pupils are respectful.

They behave well. Pupils understand what bullying is. They s...ay that staff deal with any poor behaviour effectively.

School leaders have created a nurturing, inclusive school where attendance is high. The positive relationships between staff and pupils reflect this.

Pupils understand the school values of 'sustainability, creativity, responsibility, confidence, fun, perseverance, pride and aspiration'.

Through these values, the school provides high-quality personal development for pupils.

School leaders and staff have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils can develop, practise and apply their learning in different ways.

This helps them to remember what they have learned. They are aspirational and achieve well.

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

Pupils receive a good-quality education.

Leaders and staff share the same ambition for pupils to achieve their best. Pupils develop their talents and interests in areas such as animal care, gardening, sports and science. Staff teach pupils about their future education and career choices well.

The school's curriculum is set out so that pupils learn new things in a logical sequence. It is planned to meet the needs of Edwalton pupils, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. It provides pupils with interesting and exciting experiences.

Subject plans show how teaching will build on what pupils already know. Teachers check that pupils retain their knowledge by revisiting what pupils have previously learned. Pupils told us that teachers help them to get 'sticky knowledge'.

This is knowledge that sticks in their minds. Teachers make connections between subjects in the curriculum. This helps pupils to remember the words and facts that they need to know.

Pupils can apply their knowledge in practical situations. In some subjects, teachers do not ensure that the work they give to pupils is demanding enough. For example, in geography, pupils often complete tasks that do not extend their understanding.

Pupils enjoy reading. Staff share books with pupils and read stories to them. Pupils learn to read using phonics.

Leaders check pupils' progress in phonics regularly. Pupils make swift progress with their early reading. Teachers support pupils who struggle to read to catch up well.

Pupils use their phonics knowledge to help them to read and spell words accurately. Teachers make sure that pupils' books match the sounds that they are learning. Pupils become fluent and confident readers as they move through the school.

Leaders provide an outstanding education for pupils' personal development. Pupils can take part in a variety of different activities. This includes working with the animals on the farm and enterprise projects.

There are extensive opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of different cultures. Teachers nurture pupils' talents and interests. Pupils develop strong social and emotional skills.

They appreciate the importance of diversity. Pupils told inspectors, 'We are very lucky to be in a school like this. We learn to respect people with views different from our own.'



Parents and carers appreciate the high-quality personal development their children receive. A comment typical of many parents was, 'My child is very happy, is thriving academically and socially and is developing her character. Staff encourage her to become the best version of herself.'



Children in the early years are well looked after in an inspiring environment. They socialise and behave well together. Children learn phonics from the beginning of the Reception Year.

They make a good start to their early reading. They develop their learning in different areas of the curriculum well. We saw children using wooden planks to build a house and act out the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'.

Yet teachers do not always assess what children know and can do in mathematics effectively. This means that some children do not make the strong progress in mathematics that they should.

Governors check on the work of the school closely.

They know its strengths and where improvement is needed. However, they have not made sure that the school website contains all the information that is required for parents.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff are vigilant to the signs of potential safeguarding concerns. The safeguarding team are tenacious in their work.

Their actions secure support for pupils who may be at risk of harm. They work with families and external agencies to keep pupils safe. Leaders ensure that all staff receive up-to-date training in safeguarding procedures.

Staff teach pupils to be aware of the potential risks they may face in life. For example, pupils learn about the dangers of using social media and of drug and alcohol abuse.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is planned sequentially across all subjects.

However, the work that pupils do in some subjects is not as demanding as they are required to do in others. Leaders should now fully embed the expectations of the curriculum to ensure that work given to pupils is equally demanding across all subjects. .

The Flying High Trust provides strong support to the school. They provide skilled support to staff and they know the school well. Members of the local governing board are passionate about the school and monitor school improvement actions closely.

Governors now need to ensure that they fulfil their statutory duties with regard to maintaining information that should be published on the school's website. This includes providing parents with succinct and up-to-date information about how the school identifies, assesses and meets the needs of pupils with SEND. .

The early years leader records evidence of children's achievements to plan their learning and provision. However, their knowledge of how well children are doing in mathematics is not as strong as it is in other areas of the curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that they precisely capture children's achievements in mathematics to accurately plan their next steps.

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