Ellwood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders and governors have raised expectations of all following a period of low outcomes. As a result, current pupils are making increasingly strong progress across the school especially in reading and writing.

Outcomes at end of early years and key stage 1 are strong and have risen over the past two years. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education. Outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are also improving but have further to go.

Due to increasingly strong teaching and learning, standards are rising rapidly. However, there is still not enough challenge to ensure that more pupils reach the higher standards. The teaching of wri...ting has improved and is now good.

It is ensuring that more pupils extend their writing and consistently apply their grammatical skills. However, spelling with accuracy remains an area for improvement. In mathematics, pupils have a good understanding of calculation in number.

Their problem-solving and reasoning skills are less well developed. The school's curriculum and enrichment activities enable pupils to extend their knowledge, understanding and skills further. Early years teaching is a strength of the school.

The leader has a clear and accurate understanding of how young children learn and provides varied activities for them to develop well. However, routine outdoor activities do not contribute to children's learning well enough. The provision for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is well planned.

Welfare, support and interventions for these pupils are effective. Current pupils are making good progress from their starting points. The behaviour of pupils is good.

They have positive attitudes and apply themselves diligently to their work. Pupils are polite and enjoy all that the school has to offer. Pupils feel safe and secure.

There are positive and trusting relationships between pupils and staff. Teachers and support staff are very committed to pupils' care and well-being. Safeguarding is effective.

The school's culture ensures that pupils remain safe. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Attendance overall is in line with national average.

Leaders are taking the right steps to decrease persistent absence especially for disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disability.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average primary school. The majority of pupils attending the school are of White British heritage.

The proportion of pupils the school receives funding for who are in receipt of pupil premium funding is below the national average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and disabilities is well above the national average. The number of pupils who have education, health and care plans is below the national average.

The school has experienced a significant period of instability in staffing. Three new teachers started at the school in September 2017. In 2016 and 2017, the school did not meet the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.

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