Greenleas School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At Greenleas School, pupils are happy and engage well with their learning. They have a positive attitude towards school and attend well.

Pupils learn how to be responsible by taking on roles that require leadership and teamwork. They volunteer for important roles. These include being play leaders who organise games and activities, or members of the school council who represent their peers and voice their opinions.

The school ensures that pupils feel safe and are well looked after. Pupils know that they can speak with staff or use the 'worry box' if they have any concerns. This helps pupils to feel secure and ready to learn.

Pupils typically demonstrate good b...ehaviour in lessons and play well together at breaktimes. However, some pupils need extra and tailored support from adults to engage positively in school activities.

Pupils develop a love of reading from the beginning of their school journey.

The school offers inviting book corners and a library that motivates pupils to read. As a result, pupils enjoy reading and many learn to read fluently.

The vast majority of parents and carers are overwhelmingly happy with what the school offers.

Many parents describe the school as being 'wonderful', 'nurturing' and 'fantastic'.

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

The school has ensured a sharp focus on improving the curriculum. Curriculum plans show what pupils should learn and when.

Teachers deliver the curriculum effectively in line with leaders' plans.

Children embark on their educational journey with a strong start in pre-school. Leaders have developed a well-structured early years curriculum.

This means children build on their learning from pre-school into the early years and beyond. Lessons in the early years provide children with a variety of resources that support their development of confidence, independence and communication skills. As a result, children are well prepared for Year 1.

The school has developed an effective approach to the teaching of reading. Adults teach phonics well. This means that, from the early years, children learn the fundamental skills that they need to read fluently.

Staff quickly identify and support pupils who need extra help. The school shows parents how to support reading at home. Pupils across the school enjoy hearing stories read by adults.

A wide range of quality and diverse books are available for all pupils to enjoy. Pupils know the value of reading for learning as well as for enjoyment. As a result, many pupils become confident and enthusiastic readers.

In most subjects, teachers teach pupils skills and knowledge that build on prior learning. Most pupils can recall confidently their learning over time across curriculum subjects. There are effective systems in place to check how well pupils learn.

This means gaps in learning are usually identified and addressed. However, on a few occasions, teachers do not check and adjust the learning promptly during lessons. This means some pupils do not learn the key knowledge successfully.

Others are not moved on in their learning as quickly as they should be. This hinders some pupils' achievement.

The school swiftly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This ensures immediate and effective support. Trained staff successfully implement adaptations to address a range of diverse and complex needs. This is enabling pupils with SEND to access the curriculum and be successful in their learning.

As a result, pupils make strong progress in their social and emotional needs as well as their academic learning.

Most staff use the behaviour systems well to help pupils manage their behaviour and engage in their learning confidently. Additional training is under way to strengthen staff confidence in applying the new behaviour systems consistently.

Leaders recognise the necessity to further clarify the school's behavioural expectations to parents and the methods used to support the behaviour of all pupils.

The school prioritises pupil well-being and ensures that the most vulnerable pupils and their families receive the specific support they need. This helps them to benefit from all the school offers.

Pupils feel safe and value that they have opportunities to share their feelings with a trusted adult. The school helps pupils to stay healthy by teaching them about a balanced diet and exercise. Pupils enjoy termly trips that link to the curriculum.

There are visits from external speakers who enrich pupils' knowledge. Pupils respect and celebrate the diversity of cultures and faiths in society. Pupils develop as confident and respectful citizens.

Staff appreciate the targeted training they receive. They value how this training empowers them to be inclusive. Leaders have high regard for staff's dedication and commitment towards improving the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes teachers do not check carefully what pupils understand. This means that some pupils' learning is not as secure as it needs to be.

The school needs to ensure that teachers constantly and consistently check pupils' understanding, therefore ensuring that pupils are remembering what they have been taught. Several parents responding to Ofsted's survey have voiced concerns regarding the conduct of some pupils and the impact it is having on their own children. To address this, the school must reassure parents by initiating transparent communication, detailing the behaviour policies and interventions in place, and actively involve parents in understanding and supporting these measures.