Green Lea First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school. They are polite, enthusiastic and welcoming. Pupils feel safe and happy because of the positive relationships they form with each other and with the caring staff.

As one pupil said, 'we really are like a family.' Parents agree.

Pupils understand what bullying is, including how it can happen online.

If it happens, staff quickly resolve it.

Pupils behave well and play cooperatively with their friends. However, there is variability in how well the curriculum is delivered, and teachers' expectations are sometimes too low.

Consequently, pupils do not always remember important knowledge they have been taught or ...pay the attention that they should in lessons. This means that they do not make the progress that they should. Curriculum leaders have recently started to receive the support they need to help them check how well the curriculum is delivered.

As a result, leaders have identified the most important training that staff need.

Pupils enjoy taking on extra responsibilities. Older pupils enjoy helping their younger friends during social times.

They raise money for others, such as victims of the Turkish earthquake. Pupils are accepting and curious about the wide range of faiths and cultures in the world and are in the early stages of learning about them.

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

The school has been through a challenging time, with significant staff changes.

The new acting headteacher is helping to bring about improvements at the school. However, there is further work to do to improve the curriculum and raise standards.

The curriculum is well sequenced and broad.

Leaders have set out what they want pupils to learn, particularly in reading, mathematics and history. However, there is some variability in the way the curriculum is delivered. Sometimes, teachers do not check how well pupils are learning and do not adapt their lessons well enough to make sure that pupils make the progress they should.

As a result, a few pupils do not engage with learning in lessons or finish the task set. In some curriculum areas, leadership is underdeveloped. School leaders have started to provide the necessary training and support to enable subject leaders to check how well their subject is being delivered.

This is in the early stages.

Leaders have made reading a priority. They have recently implemented a new phonics system and provided staff with training and clear guidance.

This is starting to have an impact, and pupils are gaining the skills they need to become confident readers. Regular assessment ensures that reading books are matched to pupils' ability. However, in some lessons, teachers do not adapt the reading curriculum to the needs of their pupils well enough, including for those who struggle with reading.

As a result, too many pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Some older pupils say that they do not enjoy reading; however, they can talk about favourite authors and the reasons for their choices. They enjoy borrowing books from the well-stocked library.

Children settle quickly into school, and adults are attentive to children's needs. Nursery and Reception classes have recently moved into an adjoined space. The early years leader has ensured that there is a strong focus on developing children's social and emotional skills.

Adults interact with individual children and encourage them to solve problems. They make sure that children are happy and safe. However, leaders have not yet planned the curriculum well enough for staff to know exactly what to teach and when to teach it.

Leaders identify pupils' individual needs. They ensure that teachers are well informed about the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work closely with parents and outside agencies to ensure that when pupils need specialist support, such as nurture support, they get it.

Pupils enjoy the opportunities for them to take part in competitive sports and community activities, such as The Colour Run. Leaders help to prepare pupils for the world they live in through assemblies. Pupils enjoy the visits, visitors and clubs that the school arranges.

They talk confidently about fundamental British values and know that discrimination is wrong. Pupils have a growing understanding of other faiths and cultures. However, this is at an early stage.

Relationships in school are warm and caring. Staff feel well supported by leaders and are proud to work at the school. Governors are honest and realistic in their view of the school.

They have sought appropriate external support to help leaders make the improvements that are needed. Improvements can be seen from when the school began receiving additional support from the Creative Learning Partnership Trust in December. As a result, curriculum leaders value the work they are doing with schools in the trust to share ideas and practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Regular training ensures that all staff have the necessary skills and understanding to act when they feel that pupils are at risk. When concerns are raised, leaders swiftly investigate and ensure pupils and families get the support they need.

Currently, information is not as easily available as it should be because it is not consistently recorded in one place.

Effective systems to manage safe recruitment are checked regularly by governors. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

This includes when they are online and taking part in forest school. Parents all agree that the school keeps their children safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Safeguarding record-keeping systems within the school are not consistently organised.

This means that all the relevant information is not easily available. Leaders should ensure that all staff receive appropriate training and support so that relevant and important information is reported and recorded in a consistent way. ? In some lessons, teachers do not adapt the reading curriculum to the needs of their pupils well enough, including for those who struggle with reading.

As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that all pupils, particularly lower attainers, receive the help they need and are supported to read regularly. ? Curriculum leadership is in the early stages of development in many subjects, and some curriculum areas are led by inexperienced leaders.

Consequently, those leaders do not have a strong overview of their subjects and lack the expertise required to drive improvement. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders receive the necessary support required to lead their subject areas effectively and to check on the impact of the curriculum on pupils' learning. ? The early years curriculum sets out the expected end points for pupils over time.

However, it does not provide enough detail to inform teachers about what children need to be taught and when. Leaders need to review and develop the early years curriculum, making sure that staff teach the most important skills and knowledge that children need to learn at the right time. ? There is variability in how well some subjects are delivered, and teachers' expectations are sometimes too low.

As a result, a few pupils are allowed to be passive; they do not take pride in their work or finish the task set. This means that they do not make the progress they should. Leaders should continue to raise expectations across the school and frequently check that these expectations are seen in pupils' work and attitudes to learning in lessons.