Greatstone Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this coastal school. They build positive relationships with the adults who care deeply for them.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations for all pupils.

They have reviewed the curriculum to help pupils to develop detailed knowledge across a broad range of subjects. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are sensitively supported. As pupils move through the school, they use what they have learned to help them to become interested and motivated in lessons.

Teachers use the outdoors well. Children in Nursery explore in the wet play area and pupils across the school learn how to build fire pits and toast marshm...allows in 'forest school'. The well-structured curriculum helps pupils to develop into resilient and independent learners by the time they leave the school.

Leaders have built strong structures for behaviour. While the behaviour of some pupils in the school has been poor in the past, this is rapidly improving. Pupils enjoy the 'golden book' rewards they receive for good work and attitudes.

This motivates them to behave well and produce work of which they are proud. When bullying takes place, staff act swiftly to address this. As a result, pupils are happy and feel safe.

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

The school has come through a time of change. The new leadership team have thought carefully about what pupils need to learn. They provide helpful training for teachers to continue to develop their skills and support them to plan purposeful learning.

In turn, teachers guide pupils to learn important knowledge and skills in lessons. In science, for example, pupils deepen their understanding through investigations that build on what they already know. Teachers carefully check what pupils know across most subjects and make sure that they fill gaps in their learning.

This is not, however, consistent across the curriculum.

The early years leader has built a strong curriculum. Children develop the knowledge and skills needed to help them to understand the world around them.

In Nursery, children develop positive relationships with one another. As they move into Reception, staff help them to use what they have learned to become confident and inquisitive learners. Children learn to act out stories they have heard, helping them to develop communication and language skills.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn to read fluently. They have introduced a new phonics programme. This helps children in early years to build the skills they need to read simple words accurately.

As pupils move though the school, they use what they have learned to become confident readers. Teachers choose books that fuel the interest of pupils in lessons. This builds a love of reading.

Teachers support pupils who have fallen behind in their reading, helping them to catch up quickly. However, some pupils are reluctant to read at home because the books pupils choose to read do not always match their reading ability.

Leaders prepare pupils well for the move to secondary school.

They have employed an extra teacher in Years 5 and 6. This allows pupils to experience a range of teachers delivering lessons. The extra teacher also supports disadvantaged pupils to catch up with learning lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leaders have introduced helpful ways to improve communication with parents. The parent forum is a means to encourage parents to meet and talk with school leaders. Governors seek the views of parents through a range of surveys.

Governors carefully check that school leaders are following through their plans. They meet with reading, writing and mathematics subject leaders to review the quality of education. This holds these subject leaders to account and helps to strengthen the improvements highlighted in these subjects.

This process is not as well developed in other subjects.

Teachers support pupils with SEND well across the curriculum. They help pupils with SEND who struggle to behave well in lessons to improve their behaviours.

While there is some low-level disruption in class, this is not tolerated. This helps all pupils to focus and work hard in lessons.

Pupils talk openly about diversity and equality.

They show respect for others who may have differing views to themselves. Pupils learn about life in modern Britain and relate this to their own school rules to be ready, respectful and safe. 'Young governors' support the work of leaders and have produced helpful versions of school policies for children.

Pupils engage in trips to local sites such as the beach and support the work of local and national charities. This builds a genuine interest in what they learn.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders work hard to hear the voice of pupils, staff and parents relating to safeguarding. Staff and governors receive training that helps them to recognise when pupils may be at risk of harm. When staff raise concerns about the safety of pupils, leaders act swiftly to make sure pupils receive the help they need to keep safe.

Pupils have led a school assembly to raise awareness of staying safe online. Volunteers receive helpful training in keeping children safe. As a result, leaders have built a positive culture in the school where pupils are safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects within the wider curriculum, teachers do not use assessment information well enough to check what pupils understand. This means that some pupils do not reach the ambitious end points in the curriculum because they have gaps in their knowledge. Subject leaders need to systematically check that teachers use assessments to ensure that pupils build cumulatively secure knowledge across all subjects.

• Not all pupils behave well in lessons. As a result, some do not achieve as they should. Leaders should maintain their drive to improve behaviour so that these pupils build the capacity to manage their own behaviours in class.