Greenways Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Greenways Primary School serves a community where pupils come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.

Leaders understand their community well and are determined that all pupils will have rich experiences in their learning. There is an exciting curriculum to help pupils of all abilities to achieve their very best. Pupils are well looked after in an inclusive and nurturing environment.

The school's values, 'respect, nurture, inspire and aspire', link to many aspects of teaching and learning. Pupils show respect and are polite. They say that they are happy and well looked after at school.

Most parents and carers are supportive of staff and the education prov...ided for their children. They comment on the good communication between school and home, and the many opportunities to see first-hand how their children are learning in class.

Pupils at Greenways are lively and spirited individuals.

Pupils mostly behave well in lessons. They told inspectors that interruptions in lessons can sometimes happen, but teachers are good at 'sorting it out'. Pupils understand the needs of others and say that those who, at times, find school challenging, receive support to make the right choices.

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

Pupils at Greenways receive a good quality of education. Leaders share the school vision explicitly with governors and staff. They have a clear understanding of what they want pupils to be able to do when they leave the school, and the role they want pupils to play in society.

The curriculum provides a range of interesting experiences within the classroom. In addition, the wide range of clubs and trips successfully develops pupils' creativity, resilience and social skills. Parents value what they describe as the 'impressive choice' of after-school clubs.

Pupils with a range of abilities enjoy a variety of sporting competitions. All pupils achieve well in sports. Pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) recently won a curling competition.

Pupils with SEND are nurtured and helped to succeed by experienced staff. Some pupils require specialist support, and teachers adapt the curriculum so that they can achieve as well as they can.

Teachers help pupils to become independent learners.

Pupils are responsible for checking the accuracy of their own work from an early age. Children in Reception check that they are using capital letters, full stops and finger spaces. By Year 1, almost all do this without being reminded.

Mathematics lessons are planned well. Pupils build on their past knowledge of number so that they can reason and solve problems with increasing confidence.Pupils enjoy reading, and teachers choose books carefully to link with different topics.

Pupils in Year 1 use their phonics knowledge well when reading and most can read confidently by the end of Year 2.

Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in writing. Pupils in key stage 1 do not yet readily apply their phonics knowledge to their writing.

In key stage 2, pupils do not apply their grammar skills consistently in their work. In addition, pupils do not always present their work neatly.

The teaching of French is very strong, as is the teaching of music.

Pupils in the school's orchestra have opportunities to travel abroad to perform.

Pupils enjoy their topic work. Year 5 pupils were able to discuss many aspects of the Bayeux tapestry and how the topic connected to previous learning.

However, this deeper understanding is not developed well in all year groups and for all subjects. This is because teachers do not check what pupils already know to help them plan for subsequent learning in their topic work. In English and mathematics, teachers do check pupils' understanding well, by asking relevant questions.

Reception children are happy and safe. Parents are full of praise for the way that their children are helped to settle quickly. Leaders work with families, agencies and pre-schools before children start.

This means that they identify children's needs early and provide support immediately. The early years curriculum is adapted to meet the wide range of children's abilities and needs. Children successfully develop knowledge and skills in preparation for Year 1.

Schools within the trust share good practice. Leaders provide opportunities for teachers and leaders to work together at all levels. As a result, teachers have further developed their skills in supporting pupils with SEND and helping pupils who need help to manage their behaviour.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of vigilance in the school. Leaders know what to do if they are concerned about pupils at risk, such as from radicalisation or 'county lines'.

The number of exclusions has reduced, and records show that when bullying has happened, adults deal with it appropriately. Leaders carry out the required employment checks on all adults who work with children at the school. All staff receive a comprehensive induction when joining the school.

The pastoral teams work closely with pupils and families, providing ongoing support for those pupils who need it the most. Leaders are tenacious in their actions to secure the support they need for individual pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Pupils do not have a secure enough understanding of topics they have studied.

Some pupils do not recall essential learning from previous years in any detail. Teachers need to plan topics and lessons that build on and extend pupils' prior knowledge and understanding. .

Pupils' achievement in writing is not as good as it should be. To improve writing across the school, teachers need to help pupils consistently use their grammar, punctuation and phonic skills confidently in their writing. .

Work in pupils' books at the end of Year 6 shows too much variation in teachers' expectations for presentation and quality of work. Teachers need to raise expectations of what pupils can do, particularly in writing, including the use of basic punctuation, checking spellings and joining handwriting. Pupils need to be presenting their work accurately and neatly by the time they leave the school.

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