Haverigg Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' well-being is at the heart of this nurturing school.

The school supports pupils well to recognise and to manage their own feelings. For example, pupils said that any concerns that they share using the 'worry monster' are promptly addressed by staff. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

The school has high expectations of what all pupils can achieve, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school enriches the curriculum for pupils through visits to galleries, museums and places of worship. In most subjects, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils show respect for their friends ...and for staff. Pupils move around the school in a calm and orderly manner. Staff's consistent approach to managing pupils' behaviour helps to ensure that learning is rarely disrupted.

Pupils have many opportunities to explore and celebrate the heritage and uniqueness of the local area. They are proud of how they have helped the school and the wider community. For example, pupils have been instrumental in the successful development of the school's nature area.

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

The school's well-designed curriculum is ambitious and engaging for all pupils, including those with SEND. The knowledge that pupils should learn is carefully ordered, starting from early years. In most subjects, staff deliver the curriculum consistently well and they use assessment strategies successfully to check on how well pupils are learning.

However, in a small number of subjects, these checks on learning are not as effective as they could be in identifying the gaps in some pupils' knowledge. As a result, in these subjects, some pupils do not have a secure foundation on which to build new learning.

Pupils benefit from the focus that the school places on developing their language and communication skills.

The school identifies the vocabulary that pupils will learn through the curriculum. Staff provide clear explanations about the meaning of the new words that are taught. Pupils, including children in early years, use these words confidently in their discussions with staff and with each other.

Pupils develop a broad and rich vocabulary.

The school has placed reading at the centre of the curriculum. Pupils told inspectors that they love to read.

Children learn sounds and letters quickly from the start of the Reception class. Staff identify any gaps in pupils' phonics knowledge effectively. Staff provide targeted support for pupils to address these gaps.

The school carefully selects books for pupils to read that match the sounds that they know. This helps most pupils to learn to read with fluency and accuracy.

The school makes certain that the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND, are identified, known and understood by staff.

Staff receive suitable training and guidance to ensure that they have the necessary expertise to meet the needs of pupils well. This helps to ensure that pupils, including those with SEND, are well supported to access the curriculum and to achieve well.

The school ensures that pupils and their families understand the importance of regular school attendance.

The school swiftly identifies those pupils who are not attending school as regularly as they should. It communicates well with parents and carers to understand the causes of any absence and it takes effective action to improve pupils' rates of attendance.

Pupils enjoy their learning and they work hard in lessons.

Pupils were eager to share with inspectors the strategies that the school has provided for them to develop their resilience. They said that using these approaches helps them to persevere with their learning.

Opportunities to enhance pupils' personal development are carefully woven through the curriculum.

For example, pupils broaden their understanding of the wider world through reading books that explore the importance of diversity. Through the curriculum, pupils further extend their understanding of equality. Pupils develop their interests and aspirations through attending a range of creative and sporting clubs.

They are proud of their achievements in sports competitions.

Governors have a clear vison for the school. They are well informed about the quality of education that the school provides and they use this information to hold the school to account effectively.

Governors check on the progress that the school makes towards priorities. Those responsible for governance support the school in taking account of staff's workload when change is introduced.

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 checks on pupils' learning are not fully effective in identifying gaps in knowledge. As a result, earlier learning is not secure for some pupils. The school should make certain that assessment strategies are used effectively to identify misconceptions so that gaps in learning are known and addressed.

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