Gilthill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Gilthill Primary School 'feels like family'. This is the view of the majority of pupils, parents and carers and staff who responded to surveys or who spoke to the inspectors.

Pupils are kind, caring and inclusive of each other. Staff model the kindness and respect they expect the pupils to show.

Pupils say that they feel safe.

They enjoy attending the school. Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils know the staff will look after them and help them to learn.

Pupils behave well at the school. They are very polite to all adults, including visitors. All staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and attitudes towards learn...ing.

Staff consistently remind pupils of the simple school rules. They are quick to praise the pupils that follow them. Pupils say that all staff will take reports of bullying seriously and act quickly to sort out any incidents that occur.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. They have ensured that the school's values are at the heart of everything they do. Their determination 'to inspire today's children to embrace tomorrow's challenges' is evident throughout the school.

Starting from the early years provision, all pupils are supported to become confident learners.

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

Children get off to a great start in the Reception class. Leaders have created a calm and purposeful atmosphere where children can thrive as learners.

Children enjoy carefully planned, adult-led sessions, as well as independent learning in a wonderfully rich learning environment.

Leaders have prioritised reading by ensuring that pupils read regularly. Younger pupils have daily phonics lessons.

This allows most pupils to become accurate and fluent readers. Pupils in the early stages of learning to read sometimes access books that are not well matched to the sounds that they know. They struggle to read these books, which slows their progress in becoming fluent readers.

Some older pupils still struggle with reading. Leaders are determined to help these pupils become confident readers. However, they realise the support staff provide needs to be more precise to ensure that these pupils quickly become fluent readers.

Leaders understand the school's strengths and priorities for further development. They have recently developed subject curriculums that are ambitious. Some subjects are further on in their development than others.

In the subjects that are well developed, leaders have thought carefully about the important knowledge they want pupils to learn and the order in which they will learn it.

Teachers use questions at the start of lessons to check that pupils understand what they are learning. This helps teachers to identify what pupils know and what they still need to learn.

Teachers also recap previous learning to make sure pupils remember important knowledge that they need for the lesson. Teachers use 'learning threads' to help pupils connect their knowledge. This ensures pupils know how any new learning relates to what they have learned before.

Teachers use their good subject knowledge to engage pupils in clear and meaningful learning activities. Pupils work hard to complete the tasks teachers give them. As a result, pupils are remembering more and growing in confidence as learners.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Staff know the individual needs of all pupils. Leaders are quick to identify any pupils who may be struggling.

They have effective systems in place to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that they can access the full curriculum. Staff receive detailed information about these pupils' targets and the best ways to support them in their learning. Pupils also benefit from mental health support to help them become more emotionally resilient.

There is a strong focus on pupils' broader development. There is a well-planned programme in place, with a strong ethos of inclusion and respect. Assemblies and planned visits expand pupils' understanding of different people, faiths and cultures.

These prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. Many pupils take part in an expanding range of clubs and activities after school. Pupils are keen for there to be more clubs that reflect their interests and talents.

The school is very well led. Staff say that leaders value them and care about their well-being. Leaders are considerate of staff's workload.

Staff value the support and opportunities they receive. They are happy and proud to work at the school. One parent echoed the views of many when they said: 'The school leaders go above and beyond for my children, and I could not ask for more from them.

The staff are incredible and really have time for parents and pupils.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school.

Leaders responsible for safeguarding are knowledgeable about pupils' individual circumstances. Close working relationships between school leaders, parents and other professionals mean any early indicators of concern are identified quickly. Staff are well trained to recognise any signs that might cause concern about pupils' welfare.

They receive regular updates about which pupils may need extra support.

Safeguarding records are accurate. Leaders act on any concerns in a timely manner.

Leaders have appropriate procedures in place to manage any allegations. Staff work with pupils to ensure that they understand how to keep themselves safe, including when working online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have recently further developed the curriculum so that it sets out the key knowledge and skills pupils should acquire, and when, from the early years to Year 6.

In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified and sequenced the important knowledge and skills as precisely as they have in other subjects. Where this is the case, teachers are not given clear enough guidance to support them to deliver the subject content in a logical order. As a result, pupils' knowledge and skills do not build as well as they might.

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum supports all pupils to know and remember more, in all subjects, as they progress through the school. ? The support for pupils who are not fluent and confident readers is not yet consistent. Not all staff consistently address the areas where pupils are weaker.

This is the case, for example, with blending. In some cases, books do not match the sounds that pupils know. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the secure knowledge and resources they need to enable all pupils to become accurate and fluent readers as quickly as they can.

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