Homefields Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Homefields Primary School is a caring and happy school. The school's values of 'be kind, be courageous, be respectful', underpin all the school does. Pupils say that these values reflect their lived experience in this school.

As a result, pupils feel happy at Homefields.

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school's five 'attitudes to learning', to be responsible, reflective, resourceful, resilient and reciprocal, are incorporated into all lessons.

Pupils live up to these expectations and give full attention in lessons.

The school provides a nurturing... environment. Pupils feel safe.

Their behaviour and attitudes are outstanding. They are respectful, well mannered, and polite. This has not happened by accident; staff model the respectful and positive relationships they encourage in their pupils.

Pupils value the school's wide range of opportunities to develop their leadership and sense of responsibility, such as being school council members, librarians, stick insect keepers, or being a younger child's 'buddy'. Pupils say these roles 'improve our mental health as we are doing something good for others'.

Parents appreciate the care and support their children receive.

One comment typical of many was: 'It is wonderful to see the nurturing care that the school provides. They create a very healthy environment for children to learn and grow in.'

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

The school has ensured that there is an ambitious curriculum in place for all subjects.

In most subjects, it is clear what pupils should learn and when. This helps teachers to deliver the curriculum well. The school wants all children to develop positive attitudes, skills and knowledge.

From Year 1 to Year 6, the knowledge that the school wants pupils to know and remember has been broken down into smaller steps of learning. This means pupils' knowledge builds up in a logical order over time. The school is in the process of reviewing its curriculum plans to ensure that these fully include the early years foundation stage in all subjects.

Teachers assess pupils' knowledge and understanding frequently in class. This information helps teachers to identify when pupils have gaps in their knowledge. They use it to inform their planning, so that any gaps are closed.

Teachers' subject knowledge is strong, and they are passionate about what they teach. Teachers use retrieval tasks to help pupils to remember key learning. Pupils demonstrate high levels of engagement and enjoy their learning.

Pupils' work is of a high quality in most subject areas. However, in a few subjects, where the curriculum plans are not as effective yet, the progression of skills is not as evident in pupils' books, and the quality of work is not as high.

Most staff support pupils with SEND well.

The school is passionate about enabling all pupils to access the full curriculum. However, the curriculum is not always as skilfully adapted in lessons as it could be to fully meet the learning needs of pupils with SEND.

Learning to read and enjoying reading are priorities at the school.

Pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they join the Reception Year. There is a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics. Reading books are well matched to the sounds that pupils know.

Interventions are in place to support pupils who are at risk of falling behind. These begin straight away in the early years class and continue for as long as children need them. As a consequence, pupils develop as fluent, confident readers.

Pupils talk positively about reading and with excitement about the lending library opening soon.

Children in the early years learn in a nurturing environment. Children are happy and know the class routines.

Activities are well planned and encourage children's independence.

Personal development is at the heart of the school's work. Pupils benefit from a well-planned and sequenced personal, social and health education curriculum.

The school's ambition is for all pupils to be lifelong learners. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures and values, such as respect and democracy. Pupils raise money and become active citizens as part of the 'Homefields Heart' charity work.

The school provides high-quality pastoral support for its pupils through mindfulness activities, and provides training for pupils to become 'peer mediators'. Pupils spoke about how this role makes the school 'a place where all feel welcome and happy'.

The school is well led.

The governing body, trust and staff work together in the best interests of all pupils. The school staff feel well supported. A common view from staff was that: 'Everyone cares for each other here.'

Staff are proud and happy to work at the school and be part of the 'Homefield's family'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum is well planned and sequenced in most subjects from Year 1 to Year 6.

However, in some subject areas, not enough thought has been given to how the curriculum in the early years links to the curriculums in Year 1 to Year 6. There are some foundation subjects, where curriculum plans need to be more specific in the detail they contain. It is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of reviewing some of these curriculum plans.

The school needs to complete the process of refining and then embedding the curriculum in all subjects. ? The school has not ensured that all teachers use all the available information about pupils with SEND precisely enough, or that they adapt their lessons consistently well enough to enable all pupils with SEND to access the school's ambitious curriculum. The school must ensure that all teachers precisely meet the needs of pupils with SEND.