Fradley Park Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Children make the strongest start in this warm and welcoming school.

They flourish in the exceptional early years provision. The school's Nursery starts this journey by instilling children with confidence, resilience and a love of learning. This continues as they move through the school.

The school is ambitious for all pupils. Pupils are taught how to be effective learners. They have positive attitudes to their work and they try hard.

Pupils are given the opportunity to think deeply about their learning and make connections across curriculum areas. As a result, pupils achieve well.

Pupils are kind, polite and have excellent manners.

In the p...layground, pupils manage their own games, share and take turns, while play leaders ensure that pupils have someone to play with. Pupils' attitudes to learning are equally strong. In lessons, they listen carefully and respond to questions thoughtfully and respect the views of others.

Although the school is newly opened, the school has created its own traditions, history and legacy. The school is quickly becoming the centre of this growing community. Pupils get regular opportunities to lead and showcase their many achievements.

For example, children in Reception organise their own art gallery, while children in Nursery give classroom tours to their parents. These activities are planned carefully to develop the pupils' sense of responsibility.

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

Since the school opened in 2022, the trust, those responsible for governance and school leaders have been unequivocal in their shared desire to make the school the heart of the new community.

From the moment the school opened, leaders have rooted the school values of, 'happy, healthy, harmonious' throughout the school's curriculum skilfully.

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum that has sequenced learning from Nursery to Year 2. The school is refining plans sensibly as it continues to grow.

However, in some subjects, the key learning and sticky knowledge that the pupils need is not identified consistently. This means that teachers sometimes give pupils work which does not match the intended learning.

The school has prioritised the staff's professional development.

Staff have received high-quality training in the school's chosen approaches to teaching and assessment. In the main, these are highly effective. For example, phonics is taught with precision.

However, some of the school's approaches are not applied consistently. When this happens, there is variability in how well tasks match the intended learning. At other times, teachers do not check pupils' understanding well enough or adjust their teaching accordingly.

The school has prioritised reading across all year groups. Children in Nursery are taught to love listening to stories and rhymes. They develop a secure understanding of the stories they are exposed to, so much so that children retell the story of the Gruffalo confidently.

In Reception, children learn to read quickly. Phonics is taught well by highly skilled teachers. Staff check carefully that pupils keep up with the learning.

When misconceptions are identified, they are addressed effectively. This supports pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well.

Staff are well trained and knowledgeable in how to identify and support pupils' specific needs. In lessons, pupils benefit from thoughtful adaptations to the curriculum and effective support. This helps pupils with SEND to secure the knowledge that they need for future learning.

Staff establish clear routines and expectations for behaviour from the moment that children start in Nursery. Behaviour expectations are reinforced as pupils move through the school. Older pupils take on roles and responsibilities, such as school councillors and play leaders.

They act as strong role models to younger pupils.

Pupils are taught to be self-confident and resilient through a meticulously considered personal development programme. Character development starts from the moment children start in Nursery, where children are taught to put their coat on and access learning resources independently.

This carries on throughout the school. For example, pupils take part in story-telling events, where they learn and perform stories to the school community. Leaders have thought carefully about the traditions they want at the heart of their school.

For example, the school holds an Easter egg race, a Christmas performance, an art exhibition, visits a local care home and holds a sleepover for older pupils in the school. These memorable experiences help to develop pupils' independence and strength of character.

Trustees and governors are knowledgeable and hold the school to account effectively.

Staff value the opportunities for professional development offered by the school and the trust. Staff appreciate the support provided by leaders. They value the school's positive working environment and how leaders consider their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are variabilities in the pedagogical approaches of staff. This variability leads to some tasks not being well designed for the intended learning.

At other times, teachers do not check pupils' understanding well enough or adjust their teaching accordingly. These inconsistencies mean that pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that teaching is of a high quality consistently, to promote even more effective learning for pupils.

In a small number of subjects, the school has not yet decided on the key knowledge that pupils must learn. This means that, on occasion, teachers are unable to identify and teach the key information that pupils should know. The school should continue to refine the curriculum in these subjects so that teachers are clear what pupils need to know and remember to be successful.