Fountain Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Fountain Primary School are polite, friendly and courteous.

They are happy to come to school, and one pupil said, 'I would like to come to school every day of my life.'

Pupils feel safe. They receive lessons about bullying and say that if it happens, staff help them, and it is dealt with.

They feel that they can talk to any adult in school about a problem even if 'it is not a problem in school'. This includes the pastoral team, whose members they hold in high regard.

Leaders plan a curriculum that exposes pupils to a range of opportunities and experiences that help them to develop their confidence.

Leaders plan 'wow' experiences a...t the beginning of each topic to enthuse pupils. For example, pupils in Year 5 visit Armley Mills to engage them in the history topic.

Behaviour in school is good.

Adults have high expectations, and this is reflected in pupils' conduct in lessons. Pupils are highly motivated and work collaboratively. They are respectful to each other and adults.

This is because there is a clear behaviour policy in place that all staff consistently apply. Pupils know the 'golden rules' and feel that they are fair.

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

Leaders, including governors, have a clear vision for the school based on high aspirations for all pupils.

They have thought hard about making the curriculum interesting and engaging, and have made sure that it is well planned across all subjects. The curriculum builds on pupils' prior knowledge and becomes more complex over time. In mathematics, teachers model concepts and mathematical vocabulary that support pupils' learning.

Teachers identify pupils' misunderstandings and plan support to ensure that they catch up quickly.

There is a well-planned curriculum in French and history that enables pupils to remember what they learn. For example, pupils in Year 6 say that they understand how to use words such as 'mon' and 'ma'.

This is because they remember from previous lessons that nouns can be masculine or feminine.

Leaders promote a love of reading by providing pupils with a range of engaging books. Leaders carefully choose books that pupils will read throughout the year that link to each topic.

Pupils speak excitedly about the books that they read in English and those that help them to remember facts in other subjects, such as history. For example, pupils say that the book 'Wolf Brother' helps them to remember important historical timeframes, such as the stone age, bronze age and iron age.

Leaders plan phonics lessons so that all teachers deliver it consistently across classes.

Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. However, some pupils who struggle to read do not always engage in their phonics lessons. They do not remember the phonics sounds taught in the previous lesson.

This means that they cannot learn the new sounds in the current lesson. As a result, they fall behind their peers.

Leaders have worked hard to improve the early years setting since the previous inspection.

Both the outdoor and indoor environment have rich opportunities for children to learn. Children learn in a happy, nurturing atmosphere. Teachers check what children already know and use this to plan activities.

However, plans do not always set out the precise knowledge and skills that leaders want children to develop in different areas of learning.

Leaders identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively from early years to Year 6. Leaders provide appropriate support to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve the best outcomes across the curriculum.

The pastoral team supports pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs to regulate their emotions through a well-planned nurture programme.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is well planned. Leaders ensure that pupils are emotionally ready for school at the beginning of each year through a two-week focus on mental health.

Pupils know about e-safety and the importance of not sharing personal information, the impact of illegal drugs and of excessive alcohol. Pupils understand British values, including democracy. These values are embedded in the curriculum.

Pupils can explain the role of governance in school.

There is a range of opportunities for pupils to become responsible citizens, including: library monitors, who support other pupils with their reading; playtime monitors, who manage equipment; and pupil parliament members, who make positive changes to the school.

Governors know all aspects of the school well.

They ask leaders challenging questions and hold leaders to account for the quality of education pupils receive. Governors are fully aware of the provision for pupils with SEND and check the impact leaders make.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in school. Leaders check adults' suitability to work with children through their recruitment process. Leaders ensure that all adults understand the indicators of harm and safeguarding risks.

They do this through regular training and safeguarding updates each week. Staff are aware of local safeguarding risks.

Leaders identify and support families in need.

They work with external agencies to provide extra support if required.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Although leaders have implemented a systematic phonics programme, some pupils who struggle to read cannot access the phonics lessons that are being delivered. This is because phonics teaching for these pupils does not match their phonics knowledge.

Leaders should ensure that pupils who struggle to read are taught the phonics that builds on the sounds they know so that they can catch up quickly. ? Leaders have not defined the knowledge that they expect children to gain in the early years as well as they have in the rest of the school. Leaders need to ensure that curriculum plans in the early years carefully identify and sequence what pupils need to know in each area of learning so that pupils are prepared for their next stage of learning.

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