Greenfield Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils described their school as respectful and safe.

They enjoy learning and they are keen to be involved in the wide range of trips and visits that leaders organise for them.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Staff ensure that pupils know that they have the right to learn, feel safe and be successful. Pupils behave well in school. There is little disruption to learning.

They interact respectfully with each other and adults. They trust that staff in school wi...ll deal with any issues quickly, including any incidents of bullying.

Through the 'Harmony Pledge', leaders ensure that pupils benefit from a range of wider opportunities.

For example, pupils spoke with excitement about a freestyle footballer visiting the school to support this work.

Pupils develop their leadership skills through representing their peers on the eco, sports, arts and school councils. They enjoy having the opportunity to contribute to the running of their school.

The recent election of the 'mini mayor' helped to develop pupils' understanding of democracy.

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

Leaders have designed a suitably ambitious curriculum with reading at its heart. This supports pupils to be confident and successful learners when they join secondary school.

Leaders' approach to the teaching of early reading ensures that pupils gain strong phonics knowledge. In the early years, leaders place a sharp focus on the development of children's language and vocabulary. Staff are equipped well to deliver the phonics curriculum skilfully and with confidence.

For the most part, the books that pupils read are matched appropriately to the sounds that they have learned. Those pupils who struggle to keep up benefit from suitable support so that they catch up quickly. As a result, pupils achieve well in reading, including those pupils who speak English as an additional language.

In most subjects, including in the early years, leaders are clear about the building blocks of knowledge that pupils should learn. This supports teachers to design learning and to check that pupils have learned and remembered what has been taught. Pupils typically achieve well over time.

In a small number of subjects, leaders are less clear about the small steps of knowledge that pupils should learn. As a result, some teachers lack clarity about the important content that pupils should learn and the order in which this should be taught. It also prevents teachers from identifying and addressing the gaps in some pupils' learning quickly enough.

Leaders have ensured that there are appropriate systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff benefit from suitable training. Alongside the information that leaders provide, this supports teachers to adapt how they deliver the curriculum for this group of pupils.

Pupils with SEND achieve well. They are fully involved in all aspects of school life.

Leaders have established clear routines and staff ensure that pupils know the rules that they should follow.

Children in the early years learn to share and take turns. Pupils' learning is rarely disrupted by the misbehaviour of their peers.Pupils understand the importance of tolerance and respect.

They respect the backgrounds, religions and cultures of others and they enjoy being part of the celebrations for different festivals. Leaders ensure that pupils learn that certain characteristics, such as race and religion, are protected by law. This helps to prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.

Leaders have also worked to make sure that, following the COVID-19 pandemic, pupils learn how to look after their own mental health. Pupils spoke positively about the help that they had received from staff.

Leaders engage well with staff.

They ensure that staff's workload is reasonable and that they feel supported by leaders. Staff value the training and support that they receive through the trust. For example, subject leaders have valued working with leaders across the trust to share ideas on how to further develop the curriculum.

Parents and carers are supportive of the school. Leaders seek to engage parents in a range of workshops, trips and events. For example, this includes a parent and child cookery course.

Trustees are well informed about the quality of education for pupils. This helps them to hold leaders to account effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders provide regular, relevant training to ensure that staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. All staff are vigilant, and they are keen to ensure that any concerns are acted on appropriately.

Executive leaders and trustees have accurate oversight of safeguarding arrangements. They provide effective support and challenge to school leaders.

Leaders are persistent in working to secure the appropriate support for pupils and their families.

They engage with and readily challenge external agencies.

Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online, as well as the importance of talking to trusted adults. For example, they have a clear understanding of the characteristics of healthy relationships.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a minority of subjects, leaders have not made the knowledge that they want pupils, including children in the early years, to learn clear enough to teachers. This hinders some teachers in designing learning that helps pupils to build their knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that, in these subjects, they identify and order the knowledge that pupils should learn so that pupils' learning builds sequentially and securely.

• In a small number of subjects, leaders do not support some teachers sufficiently well to check on what pupils know and can do. This means that, in these subjects, teachers are not as well equipped to identify and address pupils' misconceptions. Leaders should ensure that they support teachers to check on how well pupils have learned and remembered the intended curriculum so that staff can identify, and then deal with, the gaps in pupils' knowledge.