Foster’s Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Pupils achieve well from their starting points. Their behaviour and positive attitudes to learning mean they are confident in starting their next schools.

The most recent unvalidated national tests results for the oldest pupils are the best for some time. Children have a happy and secure start in the Nursery and they make good gains in their learning as they progress through the Reception classes. Pupils' information and communication technology (ICT) skills are used well within other subjects, as are their number and writing skills.

Those pupils who speak English as an additional language benefit from good levels of support, which enable...s them to achieve as well as others. Parents and carers are very supportive of the school and speak highly of the specific support their children receive. A clear determination by senior leaders and governors to remedy weaknesses from the previous inspection has resulted in the school's overall effectiveness improving.

Pupils achieve better as teaching has improved and it is now typically good. Pupils say they feel safe, they like their teachers and know adults are quick to respond to their needs. The school fosters harmonious relationships between pupils from differing backgrounds.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Although pupils are generally confident in their reading, not all are encouraged to read more demanding or challenging texts to enrich their reading skills. Pupils are keen to talk about their work and interests, although not always at length or by using a wide vocabulary. Pupils are not always given enough open-ended tasks in lessons and occasionally teachers' explanations are too long.

Some activities do not always catch pupils' interest or use an investigative approach to enliven pupils' learning further.

Information about this school

The school is bigger than the average primary school and serves pupils from a wide area. Building work to add three new classrooms to the school has just started.

The majority of pupils are White British, although around a quarter of pupils are from minority ethnic heritages, which is an average proportion. A slightly smaller than average proportion are at an early stage of learning to speak English, although 20 different languages are represented. A below average proportion are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding given to schools by the government).

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is broadly average. The school meets the government's floor standards which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in national tests.

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