Glenthorne Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Glenthorne Community Primary School has high ambition for all pupils who attend. It aims to develop the 'whole child'. Parents agree that the school achieves this ambition.

One parent's comment was typical of many when they stated, 'Glenthorne is truly a special school that serves the community well and helps to nurture the personal potential of all children in their care.'

Pupils enjoy school and learning with their friends. They are polite and friendly to each other and to adults.

They are very welcoming and confident when speaking with visitors. Pupils work and play well together. They know the school rules of 'Be ready, be respectful and be safe' off by ...heart.

Pupils behave well and very little learning time is lost.

Pupils have a strong sense of equality. They are kind to each other and are understanding of each other's differences and views.

The school offers an extensive and impressive programme of personal development, which is appreciated by the pupils. Additionally, the school has established strong connections with another school that is more culturally diverse, and these connections have helped deepen the pupils' understanding and appreciation of other cultures.

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

The school has a well-organised curriculum that develops pupils' knowledge and expertise across a broad range of subjects.

Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum as their peers. The curriculum builds learning in a logical way to meet the needs of all pupils. This is particularly the case in English and mathematics, where this logical order starts in the early years.

However, in a few subjects, the content pupils learn in the early years does not deliberately prepare pupils for what is to come next.

Over the week, there are opportunities for pupils to revisit what they have been taught in previous topics. This approach is helping pupils to remember what they had learned a while ago.

Teachers use assessment information effectively to identify and address any gaps in learning which may occur.

The teaching of reading is a high priority. Pupils develop knowledge of a wide range of authors and genres.

This starts in the two-year-old provision, where children are keen to share and talk about books with adults, inside and outside. Pupils love to read, especially to Nellie, the school dog. As a result, pupils develop into keen readers and are able to use a wide range of reading strategies.

Staff deliver the phonics programme effectively. This results in pupils learning sounds well. They practise these when reading books in school.

However, the books sent home for pupils to read are not as well matched to the sounds they are learning in school. This limits the pupils' opportunities to practise the sounds they are learning and this slows their learning.

Children in the early years cooperate well together.

Provision for two-year-olds has recently been established. Staff across early years plan interesting learning activities that develop children's communication skills and independence. The planned learning is broad and covers all areas of learning, starting with the youngest children.

The needs of pupils with SEND are particularly well catered for. There is a multifaceted approach in identifying and meeting their individual needs. Parents are fully included and appreciate this.

In lessons, teachers skilfully adapt learning for pupils with SEND. This helps them to learn well alongside their peers.

Leaders pay serious attention to pupils' personal development.

It is a real strength of this school. Pupils benefit from a range of well-planned experiences that enhance their learning. The 'Glenthorne Goals' enable pupils in each key stage to apply learning in real life.

These goals include 'know how to look after and walk a dog' and 'cook a meal from scratch'. Pupils contribute to school life in a wide range of ways. For example, by being prefects, 'learning leaders' and head boy and girl.

As a result, they help to support and improve many aspects of school life.

Governors are extremely well skilled and trained. They have an accurate overview of what the school does well and what it needs to do to improve.

They listen and respond to staff views regarding 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)

• The books that pupils take home to read are not always well matched to the sounds they are learning.

This hinders some pupils' reading confidence and fluency. The school should ensure that the books pupils read at home are more closely matched to the sounds that pupils are learning. ? In some subjects, the curriculum does not build logically from the early years to key stage 1.

This means pupils learning does not always build on what pupils have done before. This slows their learning. The school should ensure that all subject curriculum thinking fully considers what children should learn with early years as a starting point.