George Washington Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The inspirational leadership of the headteacher has led to rapid improvements in the school since her appointment. She has made significant improvements to the quality of teaching, enabling pupils to make more rapid progress.

Senior and subject leaders, although new to their roles, are already having a positive impact in improving pupils' learning in the areas for which they are responsible. Governors are challenging school leaders more effectively and have a clear understanding of the quality of teaching and how well pupils are learning. Teaching is good across the school and some is outstanding.

Teachers have high expectations of what ...pupils can achieve and plan work that excites and motivates them. Pupils' behaviour is good. They have positive attitudes to learning and cooperate well together.

Pupils are proud of their school and of their achievements. Children get off to a good start in the early years. A range of stimulating activities engage children well in their learning, enabling them to make good progress.

Pupils across the school make good progress from their starting points. Attainment is rising in Key Stage 1, including in the Year 1 phonics checks. Attainment is rising for all groups of pupils across the school.

Consequently, pupils are well-prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils feel safe and secure in school. They are particularly knowledgeable about how to keep themselves safe when using computer technology and when in the water.

Pupils are well-prepared for life in modern Britain and show great tolerance and understanding to those from backgrounds different to their own. They are now more closely involved in activities within their own community and are developing links with those elsewhere, for example with a Doha school in Qatar. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teachers do not always ask probing enough questions to enable pupils to think more deeply about their learning.

Occasionally, work provided is not always challenging enough, particularly for some more-able pupils in mathematics. Adults in the Reception classes do not always identify precise 'next steps' for children in all areas of learning. Very occasionally, there are missed opportunities for children in the Reception classes to be taught the exact skills they need to enable them to explore and engage in activities independently.

Information about this school

This is a larger than average-sized primary school. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support is above the national average. Pupil premium funding is provided to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority. Children in the Reception classes attend full time.

The school meets the government's floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The school extends its services by providing a breakfast club and an after school club each day. There have been significant staffing changes since the appointment of the headteacher in September 2013.

Three new assistant headteachers, English and mathematics leaders and a special educational needs coordinator have been appointed, some of whom took up their roles in September 2014. A small number of teachers and teaching assistants have left the school and new staff have been appointed. The additional resourced provision for pupils with hearing impairments closed in July 2014.