Glebe Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attending Glebe Primary School build warm, supportive relationships with one another and staff who want the best for them. This ensures pupils feel happy and safe.

However, pupils do not learn as much as they should. The delivery of the curriculum does not consistently ensure pupils learn what they need to achieve well. Also, some pupils do not attend school regularly, so they miss out on aspects of their education.

Pupils behave respectfully because expectations are woven seamlessly from leaders to staff to pupils. As such, bullying occurs rarely. Pupils talk assuredly about staff solving problems.

Pupils feel encouraged by the clear system of rewards.... They share happily about the 'catch me' cards and postcards home from the headteacher. They say it makes them and their parents proud when their achievements are celebrated.

There is a wide range of extracurricular activities on offer to pupils. Pupils may choose to attend the arts and crafts club, cross-country running, or the signing choir – where pupils use British Sign Language while singing - to name but a few. Year 6 pupils spoke excitedly about a recent residential trip, where they developed their teamwork skills and took part in activities many had not experienced before.

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

The phonics programme is not working well. Staff have not received training that ensures they understand how best to teach phonics. They arrange misguided activities, such as those that promote pattern finding instead of practising reading sounds in words.

Some pupils receive books they cannot read, while others receive books that are too easy for them. These flaws affect the weakest readers most.

The curriculum, including in the early years, is developing.

Leaders aim for curriculum plans to state what knowledge pupils learn from the Nursery Year to Year 6. This work is not complete. Leaders are exploring systems for assessment.

Presently, teachers do not know how best to check and respond to what pupils know. Also, not every leader has had the training or opportunity to drive improvements in the curriculum. This means weaknesses in staff practice are not identified and addressed efficiently.

Although subject to the same issues in the curriculum, the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) helps them thrive in other ways. Leaders oversee clear processes for identifying pupils' needs and appropriate support. Leaders involve parents and pupils well.

Staff are suitably trained to support pupils' needs and they monitor the support on offer effectively. As some pupils at the school have a hearing impairment, all pupils have the opportunity to learn British Sign Language. This is one of the many ways staff and pupils ensure an inclusive environment.

Pupils behave eagerly and kindly. Leaders have ensured clarity in how staff support pupils' behaviour. Staff share expectations clearly, so pupils know how to show they are ready to learn.

The positive relationships between staff and children in the early years help to embed an eagerness to learn and play kindly. Pupils try hard to reach the 'golden choices' on the behaviour chart. Any pupils needing extra help receive timely support about how to manage their feelings.

Attendance is not as strong as other aspects of pupils' behaviour and attitudes. It is lower than it should be, even in the context of the pandemic. Leaders have focused on offering encouragement rather than more firmly holding parents to account for their children's attendance.

While there is some evidence of this working, there remain too many pupils with low attendance. Consequently, time missed in school affects how well some pupils achieve, particularly in reading.

The school's approach to personal development is well thought out.

Pupils learn sensitively about the ways people are the same and different. Pupils of all ages can share kindly and maturely in this regard. Pupils may take on responsibilities in school that teach them to be ambitious, active citizens.

For example, monitoring the library, school council or being ambassadors for children's rights.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have worked well to build respectful relationships with parents and staff. Those parents who completed the on-line survey, Ofsted Parent View, were overwhelmingly positive about the school.

They commented gratefully on the support they and their children receive from staff. Equally, staff are keen to do their best where leaders have created a happy environment in which to work. Trustees and governors challenge and support leaders to effect change.

They accept some areas of the school and the curriculum need their attention. Leaders at all levels welcome external evaluation in their desire to improve the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff overseeing the checks on adults working or volunteering in the school do so carefully. Leaders ensure they and their staff receive regular training. Staff find the weekly bulletin helpful in keeping them alert to the signs a pupil may be at risk of harm.

Staff report any concerns readily. Leaders demonstrate tenacity in how they manage support for vulnerable pupils and their families.

Leaders ensure staff and outside agencies teach pupils about how to stay safe on and offline.

Because of this, pupils can share clearly and confidently about how to protect themselves and others.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's chosen early reading scheme has not been implemented well. Staff are not fully deploying the scheme's teaching techniques and leaders have not ensured that reading books match the sounds that pupils have been taught.

This means pupils are not being given the best possible chance to learn how to read. Leaders must ensure that the chosen reading scheme is implemented with fidelity. This includes supporting all staff to learn the teaching techniques, and ensuring resources, such as reading books, support pupils to make the best start in reading.

• Leaders have not completed the work to implement an ambitious curriculum. Subject leaders have not fully identified the training and resource needs of staff. Leaders must ensure that staff training needs are identified and addressed, so that subject leadership and the implementation of the new curriculum improves the quality of education, including in the early years.

• Leaders have yet to introduce a system of assessment that accurately checks pupils' retention of knowledge. This means that staff are unable to adapt teaching sequences to address gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders must implement a system of assessment and train teachers to carefully check pupils' retention of knowledge.

• Leaders have offered support to families whose children are persistently absent. However, attendance for these pupils remains low. Alongside the support that leaders provide to families, leaders must equally implement a rigorous system of challenge to ensure their expectations are clear about all pupils attending school regularly.