Greswell Primary School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Greswell Primary School and Nursery is a happy and welcoming place. Pupils, and children in the early years, value being part of the 'Greswell family'.

During their time at the school, pupils become confident and well-rounded citizens.

The school has high expectations of all pupils, including the large number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils live up to these high expectations.

They learn well and contribute to the school's positive and respectful ethos.

Most pupils behave impeccably. They abide by the school's 'PROUD' rules and follow routines as a matter of habit.

They demonstrate a can-do att...itude in lessons and are considerate of others at playtimes and around the school.

Pupils learn about equality and the beauty of difference. Through the books they read and the topics they study, they learn to be inclusive and accepting of others.

Pupils flourish when given responsibility. They grow in confidence as members of the school council and eco-committee and when fulfilling roles such as sports leaders, reading monitors and playground buddies.

The school promotes healthy living relentlessly.

As part of this, pupils take part in a wide range of sports and activities. They feel honoured to represent the school in different sports.

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

The school's curriculum is highly ambitious.

All pupils, irrespective of their starting points, follow the same broad and aspirational curriculum. The school has thought deeply about what pupils should learn. In all subjects, pupils now acquire a well-considered body of knowledge.

Recently, the school has thought hard about what children should learn in the early years to prepare them for key stage 1. Staff have started to teach this knowledge to children in the Nursery and Reception classes. However, in the past, children in the early years have been prepared well to learn some national curriculum subjects but not others.

As a result, for example, some pupils currently in key stage 1 have not been well prepared to learn history because they have left the early years without a basic knowledge of time.

The school has made significant improvements to the teaching of some subjects. This has dramatically improved pupils' learning.

The way pupils learn to read has been transformed since the last inspection. Staff are experts in teaching early reading. Their teaching enables almost all pupils to become technically accurate readers.

Staff skilfully support pupils who find some aspects of reading difficult. This enables them to keep up with their classmates.The school has also improved the quality of education in mathematics.

Staff were concerned that some pupils had developed significant gaps in their mathematical knowledge during the pandemic. To address this, they have become more adept at identifying gaps in pupils' learning. This enables them to amend the curriculum to focus their teaching where the need is greatest.

As a result, most pupils' learning in mathematics is more secure than in the recent past.

Staff have good knowledge of the subjects they teach. In each subject, they use appropriate strategies and activities to help pupils learn.

They are typically quick to identify pupils who are struggling. They intervene decisively to correct any misunderstandings. In most subjects, teachers use their assessment of pupils' learning to adapt the curriculum.

This helps them to address gaps. However, this is not the case in all subjects.

The school identifies and helps pupils with SEND capably.

Staff quickly spot when a pupil is finding learning particularly difficult. They then ensure that pupils receive the help they need to learn and develop well. The school makes good use of external professionals.

For example, speech and language therapists provide effective support for the increasing number of pupils who face challenges when communicating.

The school's culture is built on warm and respectful relationships. Staff know the children and pupils exceptionally well.

They support their social and emotional development. The pastoral team helps pupils who sometimes find it difficult to regulate their behaviour well. This ensures that most of these pupils improve their conduct over time.

Pupils develop a rich knowledge of diversity. They learn about different religions and cultures. This is enhanced by their links to a local school which has a high proportion of Muslim pupils.

Leaders engage purposefully with parents and carers, and the local community. Staff in the early years work in close partnership with parents to ensure that their children quickly settle and develop. Similarly, they work collaboratively with parents to review and plan support for pupils with SEND.

Staff feel that leaders genuinely care for them. They value the steps that they take to promote their well-being and to ensure that their workload is manageable. They appreciate the time they are given to develop the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the school's thinking about what children in the early years should know is recent. This has left some children in the early years unprepared to study a few national curriculum subjects by the time they leave the Reception Year.

The school should implement the planned changes quickly and effectively to ensure that pupils are well prepared to study all subjects in Year 1. ? In a few subjects, teachers do not use assessment well enough to pinpoint which aspects of the curriculum pupils know and understand, and which they do not. The school should ensure that, in all subjects, teachers identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and adapt teaching effectively to address them.