Greenmount Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy, well supported and secure at this highly inclusive school. Leaders want all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to thrive. Pupils learn the importance of confidence and resilience.

They are happy to step out of their comfort zone to read in assembly or put on a 'play in a day'.

While leaders have high expectations for all pupils to succeed, pupils do not always achieve as well as they should. Leaders are beginning to take the right steps to improve pupils' learning.

However, leaders' actions need more time to have the desired impact across the curriculum.

Pupils learn to be tolerant, r...espectful and accepting. Relationships between adults and pupils are strong.

Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and to adults. Pupils are calm and focused in lessons. They play well together at break times.

Pupils can explain the strategies they have learned to manage their feelings with confidence.

Pupils enjoy well-considered experiences that enrich the curriculum. Visits, such as to a local science museum, help to enhance pupils' scientific knowledge.

In addition, local nature walks and trips to the beach develop pupils' appreciation of their own locality.

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

Leaders have begun to develop an ambitious curriculum. In a few subjects, for example science and mathematics, leaders' expectations of what children will learn from Reception to Year 6 is clear.

In science, important knowledge is clearly identified and organised into a coherent sequence of learning. In this subject, teachers know exactly what to teach and how to support pupils to achieve well. However, the curriculum for many other subjects is at an earlier stage of development.

The key knowledge that pupils need to learn is not set out in sufficient detail, including in Reception and Nursery. In the early years, this means children do not always learn what they need to be ready for key stage 1.

Sometimes, teachers lack expertise in designing tasks that help pupils to know and remember more over time.

Teachers do not always use the most effective strategies to help pupils connect new knowledge to what they already know. For example, in phonics, tasks do not always enable pupils to apply their phonic knowledge to reading words and sentences. Furthermore, in Reception, while children enjoy playing in the outdoor area, all too often the activities offered lack a clear focus for building knowledge and skills.

Support for pupils with SEND is effective. Systems for identifying individual needs are clear. In the specially resourced provision, carefully considered adaptations to the curriculum ensure that pupils' needs are met effectively.

Right across the school, pupils with SEND benefit from a range of support to help them access the curriculum well.

Reading is a priority. Children learn phonics right from the start of Reception using a well sequenced programme.

When learning to read, pupils read books that are matched to the sounds that they know. However, there are inconsistencies in how well pupils are taught to read, meaning too many pupils do not learn to read as quickly as they should. Sometimes, staff use resources and unhelpful strategies which are not part of the phonics programme.

This is not helping pupils who are falling behind to catch up quickly enough.

Pupils behave well. Leaders encourage pupils to develop a strong moral code.

Positive behaviour is taught right from the start of Nursery. High-quality training ensures all staff model the schools' behaviour expectations consistently. Low-level disruption in lessons is rare.

Teachers address this swiftly when it occurs, so that it does not impact on learning.

Leaders' work to promote pupils' personal development is strong. Through actively supporting the local community, pupils learn kindness and respect.

They learn the importance of making a positive contribution to society by taking on additional responsibilities in school. For example, the school council have worked with leaders to establish a way of recognising pupils' perseverance and success. Pupils also have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests, such as dodgeball, basketball and the very popular 'Mardi Gras' club.

Senior leaders and governors are determined to improve the school, but there is still some work to do. Until very recently, some subject leaders have not had training to help them to develop their subjects effectively. Most subject leaders have also not had the time to check on how well pupils are learning each subject.

However, leaders and governors know what they need to do to ensure that all pupils receive the education they deserve. They have plans in place to address this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of vigilance. They have clear systems in place to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Record-keeping is clear and comprehensive.

Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the help they need swiftly. Appropriately detailed checks ensure that adults in school are safe to work with children.

Pupils feel safe.

They learn age-appropriate knowledge about personal safety, including how to keep themselves safe online. Pupils are confident that they can speak to trusted adults in school if they have any worries or concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In many subjects, and in the early years, the curriculum is not yet effectively sequenced and lacks precision about what should be taught and when.

Pupils do not learn enough knowledge across the whole curriculum to be ready for their next stage of learning. Leaders need to complete and embed a coherently sequenced curriculum from Nursery to Year 6 in all subjects. ? The implementation of the phonics programme is variable.

Sometimes, staff use resources and unhelpful strategies which are not part of the phonics programme. This means that many pupils do not learn to read quickly enough. Leaders should ensure that the inconsistencies in teaching early reading are ironed out swiftly.

• Teachers do not always use the most effective strategies to ensure that pupils transfer knowledge into their long-term memory. As a result, pupils do not always learn as well as they should. Leaders need to strengthen teachers' subject and pedagogical knowledge to ensure that pupils learn and remember the curriculum well.

• Leaders have not carefully considered the training and time subject leaders need to develop their subjects and to monitor the implementation of the curriculum. Teachers, therefore, do not get the support they need to help pupils achieve well across all subjects. Leaders and governors need to ensure that curriculum leadership improves at all levels.