Greenmount Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to attend Greenmount Primary School.

They behave well, showing respect for and tolerance of others. Pupils access a wide range of 'hands on' curriculum activities. Inspirational visits and visitors provide information about the wider world.

Leaders challenge stereotypes to promote equality and diversity. This helps pupils to be reflective about what they learn.

Pupils enjoy having leadership roles, such as eco warriors or chicken ambassadors.

School councillors are proud of the differences they make. For example, their idea about artificial grass means pupils can use the field all year round. Breakfast club provides a healt...hy start to the school day.

Family support workers liaise with parents and carers to provide help and guidance. Parents appreciate this. They recognise that this helps their children to be ready to learn.

Parents use words such as 'amazing', 'great' and 'caring' to describe the school.

Pupils say that bullying does not happen very often. They say that lessons and assemblies help them to recognise it, when it does.

Pupils told us there are many trusted adults that they can talk to if they have worries. They say adults will listen and help to resolve any issues.

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

Since the previous inspection, pupils' outcomes at the end of each key stage declined.

The current headteacher has prioritised reversing that declining trend. Since her appointment in September 2017, she has developed a strong team of leaders. They each lead their area with enthusiasm and competence.

Pupils behave well and work hard. This allows teachers to deliver exciting lessons.

Leaders' plans for English, mathematics and science are well sequenced.

Teachers make sure that pupils can revisit the important aspects of these subjects. Leaders' plans in other curriculum subjects vary. Leaders have implemented some subjects well.

In history, for example, content is creative and interesting. Leaders identify clear end points for what they want pupils to achieve. However, end points for most-able pupils are not identified in all subjects.

Leaders have strong subject knowledge. Teachers' subject knowledge varies. Leaders have plans in place to further develop the remaining curriculum areas.

This includes identifying end points in all subjects and further training for staff.

The teaching of phonics has improved over the past two years. Many pupils' starting points to reading are low because they are new to learning English.

The proportion of pupils at the required standard in the Year 1 phonics check has increased. Leaders joined a 'reading hub' and embrace the opportunities this has provided.Books match the sounds and letters that pupils can read.

This helps them to be confident when reading.

In mathematics, pupils apply their calculation skills when they reason and solve problems. Leaders' participation in the local mathematics hub has strengthened staff subject knowledge.

Leaders ensure a consistent approach to what pupils will learn and in which order. As a result, pupils make strong progress across key stage 2.

Pupils' outcomes in writing have increased but this is still an improvement priority.

Pupils are not achieving as well in writing as they are in reading and mathematics. This applies to the end of Reception and key stages 1 and 2. Pupils' progress across key stage 2 is average.

The majority of pupils who join the school are new to learning the English language. Multilingual staff support children in the earliest stages of their education. Leaders have clear plans which identify end points that pupils need to achieve.

This includes in skills, knowledge and vocabulary.

Children settle well when they join Nursery or Reception. The early years leader started her role in September 2018.

She has created a purposeful learning environment both indoors and outside. Children explore their surroundings with confidence. The language- and number-rich environments support children's learning.

An increased proportion of children now reach a good level of development. Although still below average, children make good progress from low starting points.

Staff support pupils' learning with a wide range of resources.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have focused on supporting disadvantaged pupils over the past two years. They are diminishing the difference in rates of progress between this group of pupils and non-disadvantaged.

The chair of governors has developed effective governance. Governors now bring a range of experience and skills to their roles. They challenge leadership, in the right way.

They are open to continual governor development.

Family support workers have worked well with families to improve pupils' attendance. This includes pupils who were absent on a regular basis.

Attendance for all pupils is now at least in line with the national average.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff and governors place the highest priority on keeping all children safe.

Staff access regular and up-to-date safeguarding training. This helps them to be aware of any signs that pupils may be at risk. The designated safeguarding leader makes sure that everyone understands how to record concerns.

Pupils learn how to stay safe, including when they are online. Parents are confident that staff look after their children well.All staff have the required checks before they begin working at the school.

Leaders ensure that systems for managing these checks are thorough.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan English, mathematics and some curriculum subjects, and training staff in how to deliver them, that they are in the process of bringing this about.

. Training and support for teachers is effective in mathematics and English but is variable in other curriculum subjects. High-quality professional development for staff has not been available in all wider curriculum subjects.

This needs to be available so that teachers are confident in identifying the foundations of subject-specific learning within all subjects across the curriculum. This includes fully identifying the end points that the most able pupils can be expected to achieve, in all curriculum subjects. .

Outcomes in writing at the end of Reception and key stages 1 and 2 are too low. Leaders have identified effective support for pupils to improve their writing skills. Leaders need to continue to embed the detailed plans they already have in place to develop writing across all key stages and increase the proportion of pupils achieving expected and higher standards.