Greenside Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), thrive at this warm and welcoming school.

Staff work tirelessly to make sure that pupils feel safe, happy and well cared for.

Leaders deal with any incidents of unkind behaviour or bullying swiftly and effectively.

Leaders have the highest of aspirations, both in terms of pupils' behaviour and learning. Pupils strive to meet these high expectations.

Pupils, including those in the specially resourced provision, show respect to adults and to each other. They are polite, we...ll-mannered and eager to learn.

Leaders and staff place a very high priority on pupils' mental health and well-being.

The pastoral team members provide important support and guidance to pupils across the school. They are assisted by Cookie and Willow, the school therapy dogs, as well as Mr Poppy, the school tortoise, all of whom provide pupils with valuable emotional support.

Leaders and staff maximise opportunities for pupils to engage with their wider community and to be active and responsible citizens.

For example, pupils told inspectors about raising money for different charities and good causes.

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

Leaders have designed a rich and vibrant curriculum. They grasp every opportunity to open pupils' minds to the wider world and to enrich pupils' learning.

Leaders have thought deeply about what they want pupils to learn, from the early years to the end of Year 6. They have made sure that teachers introduce new learning in a logical order.

In most lessons, teachers explain new concepts clearly.

They use assessment strategies well in most subjects to pinpoint gaps in pupils' learning. Most teachers check that pupils' learning is secure before moving on. This helps many pupils to begin to tackle more complex content with confidence.

However, during some lessons, teachers do not routinely check that pupils can read texts with accuracy and understanding before they move on to more challenging comprehension activities.

Leaders have made considerable improvements to the curriculum. Teachers report that these changes have helped them to deliver the curriculum more effectively.

As a result, pupils, including those with SEND and those in the specially resourced provision, achieve increasingly well across a range of subjects. As the changes to these curriculums are relatively new, it is too soon to see the full impact of this work, particularly in the school's published results.Children get off to a good start in the early years.

They eagerly rise to the challenges that staff provide for them. Staff maximise opportunities to expand children's vocabulary. For example, as part of their topic on the Arctic, children proudly used the word 'blubber' to describe the insulating layer underneath a penguin's skin.

Leaders place a high emphasis on fostering a love of reading for all pupils. Children enjoy borrowing books from the home library to share with their parents and friends. Leaders have successfully implemented a phonics programme which helps pupils to quickly begin to learn the links between letters and sounds.

Early readers use the sounds that they know to read unfamiliar words.

Leaders quickly identify any struggling readers. However, some of these pupils do not receive effective enough support because they miss too much school.

That said, the majority of pupils, by the end of key stage 2, read with expression and fluency. Pupils value the awards that they receive for reading. They wear their reading badges with pride.

Pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, get a good deal at this school. Staff identify and meet pupils' needs quickly and accurately. Most pupils with SEND learn alongside their peers.

Pupils walk around the school quietly and courteously. Pupils rarely disturb each other in lessons. However, some pupils do not attend school regularly and miss important learning.

Pupils have many opportunities to learn beyond the academic curriculum. For example, they enjoy preparing salads, using vegetables that they have grown on the school's allotment as part of their work on healthy lifestyles. Pupils proudly showed inspectors their many sporting and artistic achievements.

Older pupils value their leadership roles in school.

Governors and the chief executive officer (CEO) know the school well. They hold leaders to account effectively.

Leaders and governors place a strong emphasis on considering staff's workload and well-being. Staff are proud to work at the school.

The overwhelming majority of parents who shared their views with inspectors would recommend the school to other parents.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff receive regular safeguarding training so that they deal with any concerns quickly and effectively. Leaders and members of the pastoral team work effectively with external agencies to ensure that vulnerable families and pupils swiftly receive the support, care and guidance that they need.

Parents and pupils who spoke to inspectors report that leaders and staff are approachable. This helps pupils and their families to feel well supported.

Pupils learn about different aspects of safety, including crossing the road safely and not giving out personal details when using the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers do not routinely check that pupils can read accurately and understand important vocabulary. This makes it harder for pupils to develop their confidence and understanding of what they have read. Leaders should make sure that staff check that pupils can read unfamiliar texts accurately and with understanding before moving on to more complex reading activities.

• A few pupils, particularly those in the early stages of learning to read, do not attend school often enough. This means that they regularly miss important learning. Leaders should check that the work that they are doing to support families with attendance issues has the impact that leaders intend, so that these pupils attend school regularly.

• Leaders have made some further refinements to some subjects. As the changes to these curriculums are relatively new, it is too soon to see the full impact. Leaders should make sure the adaptations to these curriculums help pupils to develop a strong body of knowledge so that pupils remember more and apply more over time.

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