Fishwick Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Fishwick Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They told inspectors that they feel happy and safe when they are in school.

This is because they know that their teachers will look after them.

Pupils are clear about the high expectations that their teachers have for them and their friends. Pupils behave well and treat one another with respect.

They enjoy earning points for good behaviour. Pupils are confident that leaders will deal with incidents of bullying or the use of inappropriate language. Pupils told inspectors that this sort of behaviour is rare because leaders make sure that this ...sort of behaviour is not repeated.

Pupils enjoy taking on a wide range of responsibilities in school. For example, they look forward to taking turns to look after the school's chickens, Topsy and Blackberry. Pupils engage in a wide range of charity work to support their community and further afield, including taking part in several fundraising initiatives.

Pupils are proud that the local mayor has recognised their efforts to support the community during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

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

Leaders have planned a broad and suitably ambitious curriculum for pupils. In most subjects, leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn.

This allows pupils to build on what they know already. Pupils also have enough opportunities to practise learning before they move on. For example, in physical education (PE), pupils rehearse basic arm movements before combining these to pass a ball skilfully.

Subject leaders have designed curriculums carefully, so that pupils revisit earlier learning. For instance, in the early years, teachers ensure that children can go back to key mathematical vocabulary regularly. In key stage 2, older pupils recap previous learning on fractions before moving on to finding fractions of amounts.

This helps pupils to remember important mathematical facts. Leaders' work to design effective subject curriculums means that pupils have firm foundations on which to build when they move on to their secondary schools.

For the most part, leaders have helped teachers to develop their subject expertise.

This is especially the case in mathematics, English and PE. In most subjects, teachers use curriculum plans effectively to design learning. That said, in a small number of subjects, teachers have been unable to benefit from enough support to deliver curriculums as well.

Governors have kept a close eye on leaders' efforts to refine and develop the curriculum. Members of the governing body have a strong understanding of leaders' work in this area. Governors check that disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive appropriate support from staff to access the curriculum.

With the support of the local authority, leaders have strengthened the school's reading curriculum. There is an agreed and consistent approach to the teaching of reading across the school. Leaders have invested in a wide range of texts to cater for pupils' individual needs.

For example, leaders have carefully considered the needs of those pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils with SEND receive bespoke support to further develop their reading fluency and comprehension skills.

Teachers deliver the early reading and phonics curriculum in a logical order.

This helps pupils, including children in the early years, to learn new sounds in a systematic way. Teachers carefully select reading books to ensure that children and pupils can practise the sounds that they learn in class. This helps pupils to read accurately.

Staff receive appropriate and regular phonics training. This allows them to provide suitable support to those pupils who fall behind with their reading, so that they can catch up.

Pupils, including children in the early years, enjoy learning.

They behave well in lessons and take part in activities and discussions, showing respect of the views of others. As classrooms are free from disruption, teachers can deliver learning in a calm and well-ordered environment.

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills beyond the taught curriculum.

For instance, pupils enjoy organised visits to major cities and places of worship. This helps them to be better prepared for life in modern Britain by learning about different faiths, religions and cultures.

Staff believe that their well-being is considered by senior leaders and governors.

Staff feel that they are involved in decisions and they appreciate leaders' supportive and reachable approach. Staff acknowledge leaders' drive to make their workloads less burdensome.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school's safeguarding team is proactive in its approach to keeping pupils safe. Leaders have trained staff well to identify safeguarding concerns at an early stage. This ensures that staff remain alert to potential signs of neglect or abuse.

Staff know how to record and report concerns. School leaders work with many partner agencies to allow them to provide additional relevant and timely support to vulnerable pupils and their families in times of need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leaders have been unable to support teachers in improving their knowledge of subject-specific pedagogical approaches.

This means, in a small number of subjects, teachers lack sufficient expertise on how best to deliver curriculum content. Leaders should ensure that teachers are supported by subject leaders in improving their subject pedagogical knowledge in order to plan and teach the curriculum effectively.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, 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 convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2015.

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