Fairburn View Primary School, Castleford

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Fairburn View is a warm and nurturing school. Staff promote the school's ambitions consistently. The school inspires all pupils and helps them to succeed.

As a community, staff reinforce to pupils the school's mantra that 'we can and we will'.

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils study a wide range of subjects.

Pupils thoroughly enjoy learning.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. There are very caring working relationships between staff and pupils.

Pupils are happy and safe. If they have any concerns or worries, pupils know that they can talk to an adult. Bullying incidents are rare and the sch...ool is quick to sort these out.

Most pupils attend school regularly. However, a small number of pupils do not attend school as often as they need to. These pupils do not fully benefit from the curriculum.

The school ensures pupils have many opportunities to broaden their personal development. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures. Pupils go on visits to gain a better understanding of their local community and heritage.

On one school trip, for example, pupils experience the conditions in which miners worked.

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

The school's curriculum is ambitious, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most subjects are carefully planned.

In these subjects, it is clear what pupils need to learn, from early years through to Year 6. Educational visits support what pupils learn in the classroom. Pupils regularly revisit previous learning.

Pupils remember more over time. For example, in science, older pupils can recall, in depth, what they know about Sir Isaac Newton and gravity. However, a small number of subjects are not as well organised as they need to be.

In these subjects, it is not sufficiently clear what key knowledge and skills pupils need to learn. In addition, the plans for these subjects are underdeveloped. The school is aware of these issues.

The school is already reviewing the planned learning in these subjects.

Reading is the key priority for the school. Well-trained staff teach phonics very effectively.

The school provides swift and effective support for pupils who fall behind. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. Pupils become confident and fluent readers.

The school promotes a love of reading. There are daily story times and what the school calls 'drop everything and read' time. The quality of the school's teaching of phonics is not reflected in recent published outcomes for the phonics screening check.

Some unavoidable changes to staffing and the absence of some pupils impacted on these outcomes last year.

The school is aspirational for pupils with SEND. Teachers adapt lessons to meet the needs of all pupils.

The school ensures pupils get extra support when they need it. Pupils with SEND achieve highly from their starting points.Children make a strong start in the early years.

The environment is very welcoming. The school plans what children need to learn, from the provision for two-year-olds through to Reception. Staff develop children's early language and number skills effectively.

Routines are very well developed. Children know what to do and when. There are many activities which appeal to children's curiosity.

For example, children in Nursery match their movement to musical beats.

Staff support pupils' behaviour confidently and consistently. The school works closely with families to support pupils who do not attend regularly.

However, there are still some pupils who are frequently absent. These pupils miss out on valuable learning experiences, and some fall behind their peers.

Pupils value everyone's differences.

They learn how to explore their own feelings and emotions. Pupils learn about healthy relationships. They understand the importance of being a good citizen within a community.

To complement this, all pupils belong to school teams named after former mines in the local area. The school offers a wide range of clubs. These are well attended.

The school has a clear mission, which is to improve the life chances of its pupils. The school has a highly motivated staff team. Staff are proud to work at the school.

Staff appreciate the support they get for their workload and well-being. Governors have a broad range of relevant skills and experience. Governors provide appropriate challenge to the school.

They are committed to supporting the school and visit regularly.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The long- and medium-term plans in a small number of subjects are underdeveloped.

The school has not made sufficiently clear what important learning needs to be covered by pupils and in what order. This is limiting pupils' understanding and achievement in these subjects. The school should ensure that all subjects have effective plans that support pupils' progress consistently well across the curriculum.

• A number of pupils are frequently absent. These pupils do not progress through the intended learning as well as they could. The school must continue to review its strategies for improving the attendance of pupils to ensure all pupils have high attendance and benefit from the curriculum on offer.