Elworth Hall Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly and welcoming school.

They are happy and safe. Pupils are polite, well-mannered and courteous towards each other and adults. For example, pupils need no prompting to hold doors open for visitors or ask them how their day is going.

There is a clear approach to behaviour which is understood by pupils and staff. This is most effective when it is followed by staff across the school.

The school has high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils work hard to meet these aspirations. This begins in the Reception Year where children get off to a flying start.... Pupils build on this as they progress through school.

By the time they reach Year 6, most pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils enjoy trips and visits to museums, galleries and theatres. These are carefully planned and link well to pupils' learning.

Pupils' talents and interests are fostered well by staff. Pupils enjoy many clubs and activities such as karate, art and choir. They take part in sporting competitions against other local teams and are proud of their achievements.

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

Trustees and members of the local governing body understand their duties and have the necessary skills to challenge and support the school well. Much has been achieved since the previous inspection, with trust leaders and members of the local governing body, ambitious to improve standards for all pupils.

The school, with support from the trust, has designed a curriculum that reflects the needs of its pupils.

It is well-ordered and begins in the early years, where the school has thought about the essential foundations that children need for future learning. This is delivered with precision and expertise to enable children to truly flourish. There is a seamless transition from the Reception Year into Year 1 which builds on children's knowledge and independence exceptionally well.

Across key stages 1 and 2, pupils continue to experience a carefully designed curriculum that is delivered in a logical order. Nonetheless, due to weaknesses with the previous curriculum, some gaps remain in pupils' knowledge. As a result, pupils struggle to successfully build new learning across the curriculum.

Staff appreciate the support that they receive to develop their practice. They deliver the curriculum using appropriate and well-chosen resources. In the Reception Year, nothing is left to chance with activities carefully chosen to support the achievement of all.

Staff check what pupils know and remember within the current units of work. However, staff do not routinely check what pupils can remember over time. Consequently, this hinders the progress that some pupils make through the curriculum.

Staff deliver the phonics programme well. In the Reception Year, children's love of reading is developed beyond the phonics sessions, with stories, poems and rhymes used exceptionally well across the curriculum. In key stage 1, pupils practise reading using books that closely match the sounds that they already know.

Highly trained staff provide pupils with extra support if they need it. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly. Most pupils read fluently and accurately in readiness for key stage 2.

The school identifies pupils with SEND early. It has trained staff to ensure that they are confident in identifying and meeting pupils' additional needs. Staff adapt the delivery of the curriculum well so that pupils access the curriculum and learn alongside their peers.

The school deploys effective strategies to ensure that this is realised. The result of this is evident in that pupils with SEND achieve well.

Lessons are calm and orderly with pupils taking pride in the work that they produce.

Positive relationships exist between adults and pupils in school. This ensures that behaviour in lesson and around school is positive. Pupils feel supported well by staff and they are confident that if they raise a concern about behaviour, it is dealt with swiftly.

Attendance is positive for most pupils. Where there are instances that fall short of the school's expectations, the school works with pupils and families well to address and remove any barrier to regular attendance.

Pupils are prepared well for life beyond Elworth.

They understand how to keep themselves safe online. They talked with confidence about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and how important it is to look after their mental well-being. The mindfulness club and nurture spaces around school support pupils well.

Leadership roles for pupils, such as school council and playground pals, are new this academic year. Pupils are proud to be part of these groups and are keen to make a difference in the school and wider community.

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, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to revisit the essential knowledge that they have missed previously due to the legacy of the weaker curriculum. This prevents some pupils from having sufficiently secure foundations on which to build new learning. The school should address any gaps in pupils' knowledge and ensure that staff provide further opportunities for pupils to embed knowledge successfully.

• The school's work to establish effective assessment strategies is in the early stages of implementation. This means that, in some subjects, the checks on what pupils know are not as effective as they could be. The school should ensure that teachers gain the information that they need to secure and build on pupils' learning.

Also at this postcode