Follifoot Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Follifoot Church of England Primary School is a welcoming place.

Pupils understand the importance of treating people with respect. Pupils said that any incidents of bullying are extremely rare. They are confident that any falling out between friends is dealt with swiftly by staff.

Most pupils behave well and work hard in lessons.

There is too much variation in the quality of education that pupils receive across subjects. Leaders recognise this and are taking action to address it.

Leaders have prioritised and improved the support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and the teaching of mathematics. Leaders are reviewing... the curriculum in some wider curriculum subjects, where some pupils struggle to know and remember the important content that leaders have identified.

Leaders prioritise reading.

They promote a love of reading across the school. However, some younger pupils struggle to keep up with the school's phonics programme. This means that teachers sometimes teach new sounds before pupils are secure in the sounds they have learned previously.

As a result, some pupils in Year 1 find reading difficult.

Leaders foster pupils' aspirations well. They have high expectations for every pupil to be successful.

Older pupils value the opportunity to contribute to the life of the school through a range of different leadership roles, such as worship and play leaders.

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

Leaders have clearly identified the order in which pupils should learn important content. However, in some subjects, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding.

This means that in some subjects, pupils cannot build on their previous learning because it is not secure.

Leaders have established new expectations for supporting pupils with SEND. Teachers are given clear information on how to meet pupils' needs.

However, some staff do not have sufficient expertise to deliver this support and to check how well pupils are learning. Leaders have identified this and have begun training staff to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need.

In some areas of the curriculum, assessment has been carefully considered.

In some subjects, such as physical education (PE), leaders and staff use assessment well. It allows staff to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills. However, in other subjects, teachers are still developing their use of assessment.

This means that pupils' misconceptions are not always addressed and some gaps in pupils' knowledge remain.

Leaders have implemented a consistent approach to teaching phonics. Children in the early years get off to a strong start.

However, as pupils progress into Year 1, the phonics programme moves on too quickly before some pupils' phonic knowledge is secure. This means that some pupils struggle to keep up in lessons, become distracted and do not learn to read effectively enough.

Pupils' love of reading is fostered well from the Reception class to Year 6.

Children in Reception enjoy listening to familiar stories. Older pupils confidently discuss the books that they have read. Pupils are encouraged to read widely and often across a range of subjects.

One pupil said that they liked reading because it allowed them to 'get lost in a different place' and 'take their mind away to a different world'.

Staff in the early years have created an environment that supports children's needs. The relationships between adults and children are strong.

Children have positive attitudes towards their learning. The curriculum identifies the most important knowledge that children need to learn to be ready for the next stage of their education. Books and stories are used to teach children the vocabulary associated with a range of subjects that they will study in key stage 1.

Some pupils are not supported well enough as they move into Year 1. This means that it takes some of them longer to settle. Some teachers have found establishing routines more difficult.

Most pupils behave well. They demonstrate positive attitudes toward their learning. Leaders are aware that some younger pupils need firmer routines to support their behaviour.

This has an impact on their ability to focus on their learning. Pupils are taught that being kind and considerate is important. This is reflected in the way that pupils treat each other.

Pupils attend school regularly, and leaders have clear systems to monitor and promote good attendance.

Pupils' wider personal development is a priority for leaders. The curriculum for personal, social and health education has been carefully designed to ensure pupils learn important content at the right time.

Pupils are taught how to stay safe both online and offline. By Year 6, pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of equality. Pupils are thoroughly prepared for life in modern Britain.

They understand the importance of tolerance and respect.

New leaders have a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They have made improvements in a short space of time.

Leaders have successfully strengthened safeguarding systems and have prioritised improvements in important areas of the curriculum. Governors are clear on the areas that leaders are continuing to improve and they check on the progress that is being made. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, engage with external support well to ensure the school is improving quickly.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained in safeguarding. It is seen as everyone's responsibility.

All staff know how to report concerns. Leaders have improved the systems for recording concerns. This means that leaders have a clear overview of pupils who may be more vulnerable.

Leaders diligently carry out the necessary checks on pupils who leave the school roll. They work closely with the local authority to ensure that pupils are safe and are continuing their education. This includes refugee pupils who leave to return home to another country.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The phonics curriculum sometimes moves on before pupils are secure in what they have been taught. This means that some pupils are not building phonic knowledge coherently. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum enables all pupils to keep up with learning phonics.

• In some subjects, pupils struggle to remember the most important content. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to build securely on prior learning. Leaders should ensure that they further develop the curriculum so that it addresses gaps in pupils' knowledge in all subjects.

• Some staff lack expertise in supporting pupils with SEND. This means that the support pupils with SEND receive is inconsistent. Leaders should ensure that they continue to ensure that all relevant staff access high-quality training to support pupils with SEND.

• The transition support that children receive as they move from Reception to Year 1 is not helping pupils to settle quickly. Some pupils find this change difficult and struggle to follow clear routines. Leaders need to ensure that transition arrangements are improved so that children moving from Reception to Year 1 can settle quickly and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning.