Fleet Wood Lane School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils like coming to school.

They attend often and feel safe. During social times, pupils of different ages play together happily and get on well. Older pupils look after and support their younger peers.

Pupils usually show each other and the staff respect. They appreciate how staff care about them and always help them to sort out any worries.

A new behaviour policy is working well for most pupils.

The school is usually calm and orderly. Pupils know how they are expected to behave. Each class works together to devise their 'charter' based on the school rules.

Although learning is occasionally disrupted, most pupils settle well in lesso...ns. Pupils like earning house points for trying hard and doing the right thing.

Pupils play an active role in community events, such as the harvest festival at the local church.

They learn how to stay safe, for example when riding a bike or when water is nearby. They benefit from opportunities to experience the outdoors and enjoy visits to attractions such as the National Space Centre. The oldest pupils are eagerly anticipating their residential visit later this year.

Many pupils speak positively about their lessons. However, the curriculum is not planned or delivered well enough in some subjects, including in early years provision. This affects how effectively pupils can learn.

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

The school's curriculum is going through a period of change. Work is under way to make sure that pupils follow a structured and ambitious programme in each subject. However, there is more to do to ensure that the curriculum in each subject is suitable and meets the needs of all pupils.

In mathematics, pupils learn new content in a logical order, starting in early years. They often practise their mathematical fluency. However, pupils' problem-solving and reasoning skills are not as well developed, and there are weaknesses in their knowledge of number.

The school is already acting to resolve these issues. Recent changes in English provision mean that pupils benefit from discussing the texts they read. There is also a strong focus on improving pupils' spelling and grammar.

The quality of some pupils' written work is improving, although this is not consistently the case.

New curriculums have been introduced in several other subjects. However, the transition to these curriculums has paid too little attention to what pupils know already.

The order in which pupils learn new information means that they sometimes lack the prior knowledge they need in order to understand it. Sometimes, important bits of the curriculum are missed. Strategies used to deliver these new curriculums do not always help pupils remember what they have learned.

The school's oversight of these subjects is not close enough to know what is working and what needs to improve.

The school is in the process of making sure that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified accurately. However, support for these pupils is inconsistent.

The curriculum is not always adapted sufficiently well so that pupils with SEND can be successful.

Pupils start learning to read as soon as they join the school. They follow daily routines to help them learn their letters and sounds.

They revisit the sounds they know and practise using these in their writing. Pupils enjoy choosing their own books to read and are rewarded for their efforts. However, pupils who fall behind with their reading do not receive close and consistent support.

They do not read suitable books often enough. This does not help these pupils to catch up.

Children in early years engage well with their learning.'

Rainbow tasks' encourage them to experience a wide range of well-planned activities. Staff help children to think and be curious to know more. However, the curriculum in early years is not planned carefully enough to ensure that children's learning is always progressive.

The school's focus on improving attendance has had a positive impact. Most pupils attend school well.

Pupils understand how to stay mentally and physically healthy.

They know why it matters to be tolerant and respectful of others, irrespective of their background. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures and about important British values, although their recall of both aspects is simplistic.

Most staff enjoy working at the school and appreciate opportunities to improve their practice.

However, some staff do not feel supported in their roles. Similarly, while the number of parents and carers who have a positive view of the school is increasing, some parents do not feel that their views are listened to or taken into account.

Support from the local authority is helping the school to improve.

Staff benefit from working with external organisations, such as the local mathematics and English hubs. Governors are committed to their roles and are keen to support the school's improvement work. However, they have an overly positive view of what is working and what needs to get better.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in each foundation subject does not reliably build on what pupils know already, starting with early years. Some teachers do not follow the curriculums in these subjects closely enough.

There are also inconsistencies in how well these curriculums are implemented. Pupils often struggle to remember what they have learned in these subjects. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum in each foundation subject is planned coherently across all years and delivered effectively so that pupils can recall what they have learned.

• The school's oversight of the foundation subjects is not strong enough. There is not a clear enough understanding of what is working in these subjects and what needs to improve. The school needs to ensure that leaders who oversee the foundation subjects have the knowledge and skills they need to carry out their roles effectively.

• The needs of pupils with SEND are not considered well enough when the curriculum is planned and implemented. In some cases, the specific needs of these pupils are not known. As a result, pupils with SEND do not always get the support they need to achieve as well as they could.

The school must ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified precisely and that the curriculum is adapted appropriately to meet these pupils' needs. ? Support for pupils who have fallen behind with their reading is not sharp enough. These pupils do not practise their reading often enough using books that match their phonics knowledge.

Routines to help these pupils read vary. These pupils do not improve their reading as quickly as they could. The school needs to ensure that pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read get the support they need to become accurate and fluent readers.

• The school is ambitious for what pupils can achieve. However, this vision is not realised because not everyone is working together towards a common aim. Some staff do not feel well supported or motivated in their roles.

Some parents do not think that their views are listened to or taken into consideration. The school must create a culture in which all stakeholders feel valued and work together collaboratively to fulfil the vision. ? Governors are committed to the school.

However, their oversight is not as sharp as it could be. They do not have a precise enough view of what is working to improve the school and what needs to get better. Governors need to make sure that they have the necessary knowledge and expertise to be able to hold the school closely to account for its work to bring about necessary improvements.