Greenfields Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at Greenfields Primary School. They strive to achieve the agreed 'HEART' values of honesty, empathy, aspiration, respect and team in all that they do.

The new headteacher has placed building strong relationships at the heart of the school's work.

Pupils behave well and low-level disruption is very rare. Pupils establish positive relationships with each other and they support their peers to do well.

Pupils understand how to be kind, and they show this in what they do. Bullying does not often happen, but when it does, staff deal with incidents promptly.

Pupils experience a range of extra-curricular activities.

These a...ctivities enable them to develop their sporting and creative skills. Pupils learn about the benefits of keeping fit and healthy. They enjoy performing with the school choir.

Older pupils are proud to take on leadership roles, such as being house captains and members of the school council.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. In particular, they value the level of care that their children receive.

Typical comments from parents praise the 'very strong community links' and how 'the children know they are loved and cared for'.

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

Leaders have a clear vision for the school. They have an accurate understanding of its strengths and weaknesses.

Effective communication and training have helped staff understand and implement leaders' priorities successfully. In addition, the governing body both supports and challenges school leaders effectively. As a result, leaders have successfully addressed the concerns identified at the time of the previous inspection.

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that helps to build up what pupils learn in a logical way. Leaders have identified the key vocabulary and knowledge that pupils need in each subject. In history, for instance, pupils are able to recall key historical facts they have learned, such as Year 5 pupils explaining the Egyptian gods and goddesses.

Leaders have made reading a high priority. They have ensured the reading curriculum is effectively delivered. Leaders recognise how important it is for pupils to learn phonics well.

Children in Nursery begin to learn sounds very soon after they start school. Children remember the phonics that they have learned and can use their knowledge well. As pupils progress through key stage 1 and key stage 2, they become fluent and accurate readers, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In most areas of the curriculum, teachers make effective use of assessment and ensure that pupils are learning what they need to. As a result, achievement is high. However, in a very few areas, this is not as well developed.

In a small number of cases, teachers check less closely that pupils link their learning to what they already know. Because of this, sometimes pupils do not remember their learning quite so well. Leaders are aware of this and are in the process of supporting teachers to assess learning even more effectively.

Children who enter the early years get off to a good start in school. The early years curriculum is effectively planned and is well delivered by staff. Children in early years quickly establish positive behaviours and routines to support their learning and development.

Children develop strong communication skills because of stimulating and language-rich classrooms.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour in lessons. This means most pupils have positive attitudes to learning.

However, on occasion, teachers do not apply leaders' expectations as well as they might. As a result, sometimes pupils take less pride in their learning. When this happens, their work can be messy, which can lead to them making mistakes.

Leaders provide strong support for pupils with SEND. Leaders identify the needs of these pupils promptly and accurately and carefully consider what help they need to access the same curriculum as others. Because of this, pupils with SEND achieve well.

Leaders pay a great deal of attention to pupils' personal development. This is supported by a well-considered curriculum for personal, social and health education. Pupils learn that it is important to treat everyone equally.

Older pupils understand discrimination and the different forms that it can take. They know what to do to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. For example, they are taught effectively how to keep themselves safe online, such as how to avoid cyber-bullying.

Governors are effective in their roles. They successfully challenge leaders and hold them to account for the quality of education that pupils receive. Governors make sure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, access the same ambitious curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff know the pupils and their families very well. They develop strong and trusting relationships.

As a result, they spot risks quickly and identify those pupils who may need extra support.

All staff are well trained in ensuring pupils are kept safe. Staff are vigilant and know how to raise concerns.

Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure pupils get the support they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few areas of the curriculum, teachers do not use assessment as well as they might. This means that pupils do not always make enough links with what they know already and, in a small number of cases, do not remember the essential knowledge as well as they could.

Leaders need to ensure that all staff are sufficiently well trained so that they know how to use assessment robustly across the whole curriculum. ? Most pupils have positive attitudes toward learning. However, not all teachers ensure that pupils have consistently high expectations for their work.

As a result, some pupils' work is untidy and not well organised. When this happens, it can lead to errors being made. Leaders need to ensure that staff have consistently high expectations of pupils' attitudes to learning to ensure they do as well as they are capable of.