Glebe Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud ambassadors of Glebe Primary School. The school is a welcoming and happy place. This means pupils enjoy attending school.

Pupils work hard and embrace Glebe School's core 'LEARN' values such as leadership, excellence and ambition. Pupils enjoy positive working relationships with staff, who keep them safe.

There are high expectations for pupils' behaviour and achievement.

Pupils rise well to these. Pupils enjoy learning and are ambitious to achieve well. They talk with enthusiasm about their learning, such as 'Groovy Greeks' and reading books about espionage.

Pupils from early years through to Year 6 are rewarded for good attitudes to... learning and enjoy receiving awards such as certificates and points.

Pupils benefit from the wide range of teams and clubs the school offers. They celebrate successes together, such as being district sports champions.

Pupils take on leadership responsibilities, for example as team captains, prefects and well-being ambassadors. Older pupils work with children in younger year groups, for example as librarians, and act as positive role models. This helps to create a culture of kindness and respect.

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum from Nursery through to Year 6. They aim to take pupils 'on a journey of learning, growth, and endless possibilities.' This journey starts in early years where, for example, children in Reception learn about nature and discover the 'bug hotel'.

By Year 6, older pupils develop their knowledge of scientific language. They learn, for example, how to use fossils to observe how living species have evolved. Pupils enjoy lessons and can talk in detail about the things they have learned.

Teachers adapt teaching effectively for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including the deaf pupils who attend the school, so they can access the same ambitious curriculum. In some subjects, the implementation of the curriculum is not entirely effective. Teachers' assessment and feedback approaches do not always provide pupils with clear guidance on how to improve work and develop ideas.

This means that some pupils do not deepen their learning and achieve as well as they might.

A passion for reading pervades the school. A typical comment from a pupil is, 'I literally grew my love of reading.

I love the books here.' Reading for pleasure is promoted and pupils are encouraged to take books home to read with their families. The school has invested in a wide range of new books in the library.

Pupils enjoy the new book vending machine and the choice of books available. Younger pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps to build their fluency, confidence and enjoyment in reading.

However, at the early stages of reading, there are some inconsistencies in the teaching of phonics. This means that some pupils who have fallen behind might not develop their fluency and language comprehension quickly enough.

Pupils behave well.

Behaviour policies are clearly understood and implemented consistently. This means that pupils feel safe and enjoy positive relationships with staff and with each other. The school's high expectations and clear routines are established in the early years.

Younger pupils look up to pupils in older year groups and see them as excellent role models. Bullying is rare. Any issues are dealt with quickly and effectively.

Leaders are tenacious in their work to ensure that pupils attend school well. They set clear expectations and work closely with families and other agencies when attendance needs to improve.

The school's provision for pupils' personal development is well thought out and effective.

Pupils are taught about healthy lifestyles and mental health. They also begin to learn about careers and enterprise, for example with projects such as 'Little Big City'. Pupils have opportunities to learn about and celebrate other cultures.

They enjoy participating in events such as the African drumming workshops. Pupils are taught about fundamental British values and understand the importance of tolerance and respect. This helps to create an environment where everyone feels valued and where difference is celebrated.

Leaders at all levels are ambitious for the school. Trustees and local governors have an accurate view of the school's strengths and areas for development. They hold leaders to account and provide expert support to ensure that the school continues to improve.

Staff appreciate the action that leaders take in relation to their workload. This helps staff to provide a high-quality provision for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Teachers sometimes miss opportunities to deepen pupils' learning. This means that pupils do not achieve as highly as they might. Leaders should provide staff with the support and training they need to assess more accurately and give precise guidance so that all pupils can achieve the ambitious aims of the school's curriculum.

n There are inconsistencies in the teaching of early reading. This means that some pupils in the early stages of reading do not get the focused support they need. The school should ensure that all staff deliver the chosen phonics programme effectively.