Eslington Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Eslington Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Eslington Primary School. Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum built around pupils' personal and social needs. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Pupils say that school is fun. They clearly enjoy their lessons and social activities.

Staff have high expectations of pupils.

The school's aims, 'respect, responsibility, resilience, relationships', are well understood by pupils. Pupils are supported by staff who care about them. Staff have taught pupils how to stay healthy.

Pupils have an age-...appropriate understanding of safe relationships. Pupils have created 'My school journey' books that help them to reflect on how much they have achieved during their time at school. The books record personal achievements, such as maintaining behaviour points, as well as class projects to improve the local environment around the school.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. Staff have created a positive learning environment that helps pupils to stay calm and engage in their learning. Sometimes pupils need extra support from adults to manage their emotions.

Staff do this with little interruption to lessons. Bullying does not happen very often. On the very rare occasion it does, staff deal with it quickly and effectively.

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

Most pupils start at Eslington Primary School having a less than positive experience of education. Many pupils do not have the experience of continuously attending school. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to leave school with good attendance and a positive approach to learning.

Leaders are succeeding in realising this ambition for most pupils.

Pupils enjoy reading. They read widely and often.

Pupils at the earliest stages of learning to read are quickly identified when they start school. They are well supported by trained staff. Teachers ensure that pupils repeat new sounds until they know them.

Extra help is provided by skilled staff until pupils can read fluently. Pupils enjoy visiting the library.There are spaces in every classroom to snuggle up and read a book.

Pupils relish the opportunity to show how well they can read and how exciting they find stories.

Pupils enjoy lessons. Teachers assess pupils when they start school and use this information to create individual timetables.

Teachers carefully plan engaging activities that build on pupils' prior knowledge. Staff explain new information clearly and accurately. They provide opportunities for pupils to revisit what they have been taught.

Teachers make regular checks on what pupils have learned. Teachers' careful questioning helps to identify pupils who need extra help with their learning. Teachers quickly adjust their plans to help these pupils to catch up.

Leaders have ensured that there are well-structured and clear routines throughout the school day. This helps pupils to manage their emotions and behaviours. Pupils walk a mile every morning and exercise before sitting together to eat breakfast.

Pupils sing together before lessons. This helps pupils to be calm and ready to learn when lessons start.

Leaders work closely with healthcare professionals to support pupils' health and emotional needs.

For example, psychotherapy sessions or dental visits are part of pupils' timetables if needed. Pupils with complex social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs access the nurture provision. This provision helps pupils with social and emotional delays, so that they can take an active part in lessons and social activities with their classmates.

Pupils have many and varied opportunities to develop new talents and social skills. Pupils enjoy a wide range of sports and are proud when they have earned the right to leave the school and take part in these activities. Pupils who remain in school play board games or take part in creative group activities, like learning the ukulele.

Pupils have leadership roles in school, such as 'eco leaders'. Pupils meet and debate how to improve the environment in and around school. For example, pupils decided to write to their MP to help them to deal with the litter in their area.

Governors and leaders support the well-being and professional development of staff. Leaders have introduced well-being days, which allow staff to choose a day of leave during term time. Leaders ensure staff are well trained and encourage them to pursue research and development opportunities.

This ensures that staff have a clear understanding of pupils' needs. Staff enjoy working at the school and feel valued.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that there is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. They make the appropriate pre-employment checks when recruiting new staff.

All staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates from external agencies.

Staff know pupils very well. As a result, they recognise any signs of concern at an early stage and report these quickly. Leaders deal with concerns promptly and effectively.

Pupils know they can talk to a trusted adult if they are worried about their safety, both when online and in the wider community. Leaders keep parents informed of how to help pupils stay safe online.

Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in March 2017.