Fern Hill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Fern Hill Primary School is a place where pupils thrive. They benefit from positive and nurturing relationships with staff and other pupils.

Their opinions are regularly sought and listened to. For example, the school council made suggestions on how to improve the school and helped to choose the new lunch caterers. Pupils take on a range of leadership opportunities, including the eco-committee, play leaders and reading champions.

Pupils enjoy learning a curriculum that is highly ambitious and stimulating. They consistently produce high-quality work across subjects and achieve very well. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the education ...and care their children receive.

Pupils' behaviour is excellent. This is because staff have consistently high expectations for behaviour, which pupils rise to meet. This starts in early years, where children learn to be considerate and kind to each other.

Pupils understand the importance of accepting others for who they are. They feel safe and are kept safe at school.

A diverse offer of additional activities ensures that pupils' talents and interests are carefully considered.

Pupils enjoy attending clubs such as film, sewing, chess, and gardening. They participate in a wide range of local sports competitions. Staff are diligent in ensuring that pupils never miss out.

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

Reading is at the heart of this school's curriculum. Children in Nursery learn how to be aware of the sounds in words. Phonics lessons begin in the Reception Year and, over time, pupils learn to read fluently and confidently.

Staff are well trained in reading. They ensure that the phonics programme is delivered consistently. Pupils who need help to catch up get swift and carefully planned support from knowledgeable staff.

Leaders have carefully chosen core texts for each year group. These ensure that pupils read a range of high-quality, exciting literature, including books that promote equality and diversity. Pupils are inspired by the well-established culture of reading in the school.

For example, they get to take part in a range of events, such as the '100-book challenge' for each year group, author visits, workshops and visits to libraries. This all helps them to develop a love of books. Pupils are motivated readers, and they enjoy discussing the stories they have read and what they have learned from them.

The school has developed a rigorous and aspirational curriculum that, in many subjects, exceeds the breadth and ambition of what is expected nationally. Leaders have identified important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to be taught. The curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced so that pupils deepen their understanding.

For example, in Reception, children are taught the correct mathematical terms for the properties of two-dimensional shapes such as 'quadrilateral' and 'vertices'. This helps them to develop an exceptionally strong base on which to build in Year 1. The curriculum has been planned in a way that provides pupils with meaningful links between different subjects.

For example, in design and technology, pupils in Year 6 applied their mathematics and science knowledge to make models of trench shelters.

Teachers' subject knowledge is very strong. This is because there is a rigorous professional development programme in place that supports all staff to implement the ambitious curriculum consistently well.

Staff check that pupils have understood what they have been taught. They build on this learning, enabling pupils to access more complex content with confidence. In lessons, teachers routinely identify and address misconceptions to ensure these do not limit pupils' understanding.

This helps pupils to develop strong subject-specific understanding over time. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified swiftly and effectively. These pupils are well supported to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

The school has a calm and orderly atmosphere. The school's values underpin its well-established routines for behaviour. These are explicitly taught and well understood.

Pupils demonstrate highly positive attitudes towards learning, and low-level disruption is very rare. Leaders have effective systems in place to support families to ensure their children attend school regularly and on time.

Leaders provide a wide range of carefully planned enrichment opportunities.

These take place at lunchtime and after school to ensure that all pupils can attend. There is a high take up of this offer. Leaders go beyond the expected to ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Their work on developing character through celebrating diversity is exemplary. During 'respect week', pupils devised the motto of 'with empathy and respect we connect'. Pupils enjoy the regular opportunities to discuss and debate important topics, such as through 'FERN SPEAK', the school's annual public speaking event.

Leaders, including trustees and those responsible for local governance, have created an ambitious culture that puts pupils' learning at the centre of everything they do. Leaders at every level are committed to continuous school improvement. They are reflective and rigorous in their work.

Staff are extremely positive about working here. They feel very well supported to manage their workload and to develop professionally.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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