Eglinton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Eglinton Primary School is a welcoming and caring community. Pupils are happy and enjoy attending school. They are kept safe because staff look after them well.

Leaders have high expectations. They want pupils to achieve their best and are taking steps to improve pupils' learning, particularly in the Nursery and Reception classes. However, in Years 1 to 6, the curriculum does not enable pupils to acquire and remember knowledge successfully in some subjects.

Pupils do not achieve as well as they should across the curriculum.

Pupils behave well and show interest in their learning. They are respectful, polite and courteous.

Both in lessons and around th...e school, pupils conduct themselves well and follow the school routines. Bullying is rare, but should it occur, staff are quick to deal with it.

Children in the early years play and learn with concentration.

The curriculum is planned effectively. Staff select resources and activities, both indoors and out, to develop and deepen children's knowledge and skills.

Leaders provide pupils with broad and wide-ranging experiences beyond the academic subjects.

Leaders' approach is underpinned by the school values, which include pride and resilience. Pupils enjoy participating in extra-curricular activities including choir, debate, football, dodgeball and 'camo'.

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

Governors have supported leaders' work to design and put in place an ambitious curriculum.

This starts in the early years where staff prepare children well for their learning in Year 1. For example, children develop a secure understanding of numbers from one to 10 in readiness for their future mathematics learning. Staff select resources and activities to enthuse children about learning.

They make sure that children practise important ideas and skills. For instance, children in Nursery enjoyed a 'squiggle wiggle' activity to count objects and develop their gross-motor skills.

Leaders are in the process of bringing about improvements in other year groups.

They have made sure that pupils in Years 1 to 6 learn a broad range of subjects. They have also identified the essential knowledge and skills that pupils have to learn. Nonetheless, leaders are still embedding the new curriculum in these year groups.

Some subjects, such as French and computing, are not as well established as others. Over time, the curriculum has not enabled pupils to develop their knowledge and remember it in the long term sufficiently well.

In a few subjects, teachers use their secure subject knowledge to plan well-sequenced lessons.

They help pupils to recall their learning and use it in new contexts. In these subjects, teachers also use helpful strategies to check pupils' understanding. However, the curriculum is not taught consistently well in all subjects, including mathematics.

Teachers do not routinely address pupils' misconceptions. Sometimes, learning is not planned and adapted sufficiently well to ensure that pupils build on what they already know or can do. This leads to gaps in pupils' knowledge and prevents pupils from achieving highly in these subjects.

Leaders have an accurate system for identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils receive extra adult support in class or in small-group sessions. Pupils with SEND have access to the same curriculum as their peers.

Leaders have prioritised reading and the development of vocabulary. They have recently introduced a new phonics programme to improve how early reading is taught. Staff have been trained to deliver this well.

They make sure that pupils read books that match the sounds they know. Weaker readers get extra support to help them catch up. However, some pupils are not keeping up with the expectations of the phonics programme.

Leaders are aware of this. They are taking steps to ensure that pupils catch up in their reading fluency and confidence.

Staff manage pupils' behaviour in lessons well, using the mantra of 'good to be green'.

Consequently, there is very little disruption to lessons. Pupils' attendance is high and improving. Leaders monitor attendance and work with parents and carers to reduce persistent absence.

Pupils have regular opportunities to develop their interests and talents. For example, they take part in dance workshops and various educational trips, such as to museums and theatres. Staff encourage pupils to take on different responsibilities, including becoming members of the 'pupil parliament'.

Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. Leaders encourage pupils to appreciate diversity and differences. Pupils learn how to manage their feelings and develop an understanding of fundamental British values.

Governors work closely with leaders by providing support in their work to improve the school.

Staff appreciate leaders' support and value the training they receive. Leaders are mindful of staff workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are vigilant in their approach to keeping pupils safe. Leaders provide staff with up-to-date safeguarding training.

Staff know how to spot and report concerns about pupils' welfare. Leaders ensure that record-keeping is suitably detailed and they follow up concerns promptly. They work with external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families receive the necessary support.

Pupils learn about risks in the local area and how to keep themselves safe, including on the internet. Leaders ensure that all staff undergo the required pre-employment checks.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have recently implemented a new approach to teaching early reading.

Some pupils are finding it hard to keep up with the expectations of the new phonics programme. Leaders should continue to focus on ensuring that these pupils get the support they need to catch up quickly. ? In many subjects, including mathematics, teaching does not routinely address pupils' misconceptions and help them to build on their existing learning.

As a result, pupils develop gaps in their knowledge and do not achieve well. Leaders should ensure that teachers address all knowledge gaps and that the curriculum enables pupils to develop their understanding progressively. ? The implementation of the curriculum in some foundation subjects is at an early stage.

One of the reasons for this is that leaders' revised curriculum thinking is new. Over time, pupils have not gained sufficiently secure knowledge in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that the delivery of the curriculum in these subjects consistently matches the aims and ambition set out in their curriculum thinking.

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