Eureka Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Eureka Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

One parent captured the views of many and wrote, 'Eureka is a lovely school with a real community feel.' Staff have established a strong, inclusive school ethos. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

They feel happy and safe. One pupil enthusiastically said: 'I don't like it here, I love it!.' Relationships are positive.

Leaders promote pupils' social and cultural development well. Pupils enjoy participating in the after-school sports clubs or choir. The school's assembly programme helps to develop pupils' appreciation of different religious festivals, traditions, and famous composers.
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Most pupils embrace the British values of respect and tolerance in their interactions with one another.

Expectations of pupils are high around the school and in most subjects. Pupils are friendly and polite.

They typically behave well. Sometimes, however, when pupils are unsure about their learning, they lose focus and become distracted. Most pupils achieve well in most subjects.

The needs of pupils who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well met.

Pupils understand what bullying is. They are clear that bullying has no place in their school.

Anti-bullying ambassadors take their role seriously. Pupils are confident that staff will deal with any issues, so that they do not escalate.

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

Leaders, including governors, know the school well.

They have a clear vision and understand well its strengths and priorities for further development. Staff are ambitious for every pupil. Staff morale is high.

The oversight of pupils with SEND is strong. These pupils are particularly well supported by teachers and supporting adults. Leaders ensure that staff receive the right amount of information to help meet these pupils' needs.

They engage with parents well in reviewing support plans and considering next steps. Leaders work well with external specialists to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the right support when needed. Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are similarly well supported in most subjects.

Pupils study a broad range of subjects. Leaders are comprehensively reviewing the curriculum. They have identified the precise knowledge that pupils need to know and build over time in most subjects, from the early years to the end of key stage 2.

A small number of subjects are not yet at the same stage of development as most others. Leaders are addressing this.

Children in Reception class make a positive start to their time at school.

They benefit from a stimulating learning environment. The curriculum in the early years is designed to prepare children well for key stage 1. Children respond well to instructions from adults.

The teaching of phonics and early reading is typically effective. Leaders are currently enhancing how staff promote a love of reading among pupils. They have recently invested in new reading books to promote pupil choice and to celebrate diversity in society.

Staff are well trained in the systematic delivery of the school's phonics scheme. Children in Reception develop their reading skills right from the start of their time at school. Books are carefully matched to the sounds pupils are learning.

Staff make regular checks to identify those pupils who need extra help, and ensure that they receive it. Most pupils use their phonics knowledge when reading unfamiliar words. However, sometimes, misconceptions are not picked up and corrected as quickly as they could be.

When this happens, pupils sometimes lose focus and drift off task.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. In most subjects, they use this well to plan engaging learning activities and question pupils.

In geography, for example, pupils are enthusiastic about exploring the similarities and differences between Birmingham in the UK and Birmingham in Alabama, USA.

Pupils respond well in lessons when expectations are consistently high. However, this is not the case in mathematics, particularly in key stage 2.

Despite leaders' planning, the quality of the curriculum in this subject does not successfully enable all pupils to know and remember more. Pupils do not consistently receive the precise teaching that they need to develop confidence in mathematical reasoning and problem-solving. Sometimes, teachers move on to new ideas too quickly before ensuring that all pupils have grasped the concepts taught.

Sometimes, pupils who finish tasks do not know what they should be doing next. Pupils do not present their work nor achieve as well as they should in this subject. Leaders are aware of this issue and are acting to resolve this weakness.

Nevertheless, pupils do not achieve as well as they should, especially in key stage 2.

Leaders have thoughtfully considered pupils' programme for personal development. They have developed a well-sequenced curriculum, which meets national requirements.

Pupils have a good understanding about positive relationships and friendship. They recognise and embrace the importance of equality.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a vigilant culture. Staff are well trained. They know how to spot the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm.

Pupils say they feel safe at school. They know they can talk to staff about any concerns using the 'worry boxes'. The overwhelming majority of parents agree.

Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. They are taught about issues such as online safety and respecting personal space.

Leaders' safeguarding records are comprehensive.

They work tenaciously with external agencies, including social and health care, to ensure that vulnerable pupils, and their families, receive the support they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, in some subjects, teachers and other supporting adults move on to new learning tasks or activities before checking that all pupils have understood what has been taught. They do not always identify pupils' misconceptions and correct these swiftly enough.

When this happens, pupils lose focus and their concentration drifts. They become more easily distracted. Gaps in their knowledge develop as a result.

This is particularly the case in mathematics in key stage 2. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the skills they need to check the understanding of all pupils before moving learning on, so that they develop confidence and achieve as well as they can in all subjects, especially in mathematics.

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 2013.