Engayne Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Engayne Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming community school. Positive relationships are at the centre of everything that the school does. Staff know pupils well.

They encourage pupils to be kind and responsible. Pupils are happy and safe at this school because staff are vigilant and deal with any concerns pupils may have appropriately.

Teachers inspire pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to have high aspirations.

Staff help pupils to enjoy their learning and to achieve well.

There are clear and high expectations for how pu...pils should behave. Pupils live up to these expectations.

Behaviour in lessons is excellent. Pupils remain highly focused on their learning. There is rarely any interruption to learning.

Enrichment beyond the academic curriculum is an important part of the school's vision. The school has high ambitions that pupils are 'ready for life'. Pupils take part in a variety of wider opportunities, which aim to develop their characters through a series of rich, diverse experiences.

For example, at lunchtimes, pupils have opportunities to develop their imaginative play, physical confidence and resilience through the outdoor play and learning initiative.

Pupils enjoy the range of educational trips, visitors, special events and clubs offered. These include fencing, sewing, Spanish and ballet.

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

For each subject, the curriculum sets out the key knowledge and skills that children in early years and pupils across Years 1 to 6 will learn. Choices about what pupils study are ambitious. The school has established clear systems to ensure that teachers know exactly what to teach and when.

Teachers understand what pupils have learned before and what will come next. Pupils learn new knowledge and skills in small, well-ordered steps. This helps pupils to make links in their learning and deepen their understanding.

Pupils achieve well and are prepared for the next stage in their learning.

Regular training and support from colleagues ensure that all staff develop their expertise. Teachers have secure subject knowledge.

This includes those who are new to the school. Teachers teach the intended curriculum with enthusiasm, using resources effectively. They use a range of different ways to check how well pupils are learning.

In a few curriculum subjects, these approaches are not as fully developed. Where this is the case, the school does not spot misconceptions or gaps in pupils' knowledge as quickly as it could.

The school places a high priority on pupils learning to read.

Children start to learn to read as soon as they join the Reception Year. All staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme to a high quality. They model sounds to pupils precisely.

Pupils' books are closely matched to the sounds that they know. They have regular opportunities to practise the sounds that they need to learn. When pupils struggle to read, knowledgeable staff provide additional support swiftly.

Beyond phonics, there is a well-structured reading curriculum. Books are central to the curriculum and the life of the school. The school promotes a love of reading.

Staff give pupils regular opportunities to visit the well-stocked school libraries. Pupils really enjoy story time. This is because teachers bring books to life and make them exciting.

Leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND understand the needs of these pupils well. Early identification and precisely targeted additional help from adults mean that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers.

The school places great emphasis on pupils' wider development.

Pupils learn about what the fundamental British values are, and older pupils are encouraged to link these to their own experiences. There are many and varied opportunities for all pupils to learn about the wider world and the different beliefs, cultures and faiths that abound. The school's focus on developing respect, belonging and responsibility is well understood by pupils.

They frequently try to demonstrate these ideas in their interactions with others. Pupils are taught about understanding the importance of healthy lifestyles and relationships.

Pupils get along with each other and focus on learning in class.

They are supported to develop their social skills by taking on responsibilities, such as digital leaders, kindness ambassadors and by becoming members of the school's parliament. The school encourages pupils to consider the needs of others. For example, the school has provided opportunities for pupils to engage in social action projects.

Through these, they have raised funds for a dog welfare charity and cancer charities. Pupils also get involved in supporting the local food bank and recycling initiatives.

Pupils' attendance is a top priority, with the school taking a number of effective steps to reduce absence and ensure that pupils arrive to school on time.

The governing body knows the school and community well. It supports leaders in their desire to ensure that pupils' best interests and the promotion of equality are at the heart of all decisions.

Staff are proud to work at this school.

They appreciate leaders' efforts to reduce their workload and support their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Approaches to checking whether pupils have learned and remembered the curriculum in some foundation subjects are still being developed.

Therefore, teachers and leaders do not always have a clear understanding of how well pupils are learning in these subjects, and where any misconceptions or difficulties are arising. Leaders should continue to ensure that assessment approaches are refined so that teachers can check what pupils know and remember and address any gaps in their learning.

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 March 2014.

Also at this postcode