Fender Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those who attend the resourced-based provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), get a good deal at this school.

Parents and carers are delighted with many aspects of the school's work. They are particularly complimentary about the levels of care and attention afforded to pupils with SEND.

Pupils are proud to be members of the school community.

Staff and pupils respect each other. Staff have high expectations of pupils and, as a result, pupils are motivated to work hard. Most pupils, including children in the early years, achieve well across a range of subjects.

Pupils feel safe in school. They kn...ow that they can talk to staff if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school.

For example, they play happily with their friends in the outdoor play area. Pupils are confident that if bullying does occur, that adults in school will sort it out quickly.

Pupils contribute to decision-making in the school.

For instance, those pupils who act as school councillors have been instrumental in introducing staggered play times and lunch times at the suggestion of their peers.

Pupils are proud to have raised money for charitable causes. The school therapy dog, Merlin, plays a key role in supporting those pupils who face challenges, including socially and emotionally.

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

The headteacher knows the school well. She is aware of the school's strengths and the refinements that are needed to improve the quality of education further.

Pupils are taught the full range of national curriculum subjects.

Most curriculums are logically planned and sequenced by leaders. In these subjects, leaders give teachers appropriate guidance about the key knowledge that pupils must learn and the order in which this content should be delivered. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders' thinking about the knowledge that pupils should be taught is less clear.

In addition, a few curriculums are relatively new and leaders have not had the same opportunity to check in depth that these curriculums are being delivered as well.

In lessons, most teachers explain new learning well. They routinely check on what pupils know and can remember.

For the most part, pupils can recall prior learning confidently across a range of subjects such as history, geography, music and physical education.

Reading is taught consistently well by staff. Children begin their reading journey as soon as they enter the Reception class.

They have fun reciting rhymes and listening to stories. Right from the start, staff take every opportunity to develop children's language skills. Pupils, including children in the early years, are familiar with the school's phonics programme and respond to it well.

Staff carefully match the books that pupils, include those with SEND, read to the letters, sounds and words that they know. Those pupils who fall behind receive extra support from skilled staff to help them to catch up. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors and the different types of books that they like to read.

Most pupils listen well in class. Teachers deal effectively with those pupils who are struggling to regulate their behaviour. However, there are some pupils who do not attend school as regularly as they should.

This impedes their learning and development.

Highly skilled staff ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced based provision, and children in the early years are identified quickly. Curriculums are carefully adapted, through additional support and resources, to ensure that these pupils access the same learning as their friends.

Whenever possible, pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life.

Pupils access a varied range of activities beyond the academic curriculum such as clubs after school. They are aware of the importance of recycling plastic to help to look after the planet and of protecting endangered species.

High levels of pastoral care are afforded to pupils to protect their mental health and well-being. Pupils are made aware of the dangers of knife crime and of gang-based violence.

Governors work closely with leaders to continually improve the school.

In essence, they offer senior leaders support and challenge in equal measure.

Most staff enjoy working at the school. They appreciate all that leaders do to ensure that they have an acceptable work-life balance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff recognise that everyone has a responsibility to keep pupils safe. They are all trained well to be alert to the signs of harm, abuse or neglect.

Staff are fully aware of the risks in the local area relating to safeguarding. They are clear about the procedures they must follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare. Leaders ensure that vulnerable families receive the support that they need.

Through the curriculum, pupils are taught to keep themselves safe. For instance, they understand what it means to be a good friend and they learn how to keep themselves safe when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not ensured that teachers are as clear about the essential knowledge that they want pupils to learn.

This hinders teachers in designing learning that supports pupils to deepen their knowledge in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that, in these subjects, teachers are clear about the knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which this content should be delivered. ? A few subject curriculums are relatively new.

In these subjects, leaders have not had the same opportunities to check that these curriculums are being delivered as well. This hampers leaders in providing appropriate support for some teachers to deliver certain aspects of subject curriculum content. Leaders should ensure that staff benefit from appropriate support to deliver these new curriculums effectively.

• Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This prevents these pupils from progressing well through subject curriculums. Leaders should continue to support these pupils and their families to attend school regularly so that pupils' poor attendance does not impede their learning and development.

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