Islamia Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Islamia Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful and courteous at Islamia Primary School.

In classrooms and corridors, pupils conduct themselves in an orderly and considerate manner. This leads to a calm and purposeful learning environment. Pupils are fully focused and engaged in their learning in lessons.

Teachers encourage pupils to work together, for example by asking them to share ideas about their learning.

Pupils are kept safe at school. They said that there are lots of adults in school they could talk to if they were feeling upset.

Pupils are not worried about bullying because they a...re confident that adults listen and take any concerns seriously. Incidents of bullying are uncommon and dealt with promptly when they do occur.

Leaders, governors and teachers have high expectations of all pupils.

They want them to achieve academically and develop into responsible citizens. Pupils rise to the expectations set for them and achieve well in most subjects. Pupils can confidently recall what they have learned in the past, particularly in science and mathematics.

However, in a few subjects, pupils' knowledge and understanding are not as deep and secure.

Pupils enjoy participating in extra-curricular activities, including clubs and visits. Leaders make sure that all pupils are fully included in the wider curriculum on offer.

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

Leaders have put in place a curriculum that matches the scope of the national curriculum.The planned programme of learning includes a strong emphasis on supporting pupils' speaking and listening skills. Teaching ensures that pupils get regular practice in developing and using key vocabulary in the subjects they are taught.

The teaching of reading also has a high profile in the school. All pupils read on a daily basis. Teachers read high-quality texts to pupils regularly.

They explain the meaning of new words, which also helps to build pupils' vocabulary.

The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. Leaders and teachers use assessment well to identify and meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff put in place adaptations to ensure that these pupils achieve success in their learning.

Leaders have worked out what pupils need to learn in each subject. They make sure that what pupils learn is sequenced in a logical way.

In many subjects, teaching focuses on making sure that pupils understand and remember key ideas in the long term. This means that pupils are ready for what comes next in their learning. For example, in Year 6 science, learning about healthy diets builds on what pupils have already learned about the role different nutrients play in keeping the human body strong and healthy.

In a few subjects, leaders' aims for the curriculum have been developed and implemented recently. While leaders' aims are clear and ambitious, a few inconsistencies remain in the way these aims are being put into practice in the classroom. This is particularly the case in art and history.

As a result, pupils find it harder to recall and apply prior learning with the same fluency as they do in subjects such as mathematics and science.

Early reading is planned and taught well, with clear expectations for the development of pupils' reading fluency and accuracy. This begins in the early years, where Reception children develop their phonics knowledge effectively.

These secure foundations are built upon well in Years 1 and 2. As a result, pupils learn to read successfully. Leaders and teachers identify pupils who may be at risk of falling behind, including those with SEND.

They provide these pupils with extra support and make sure that they catch up.

To strengthen their existing work on early reading, leaders have recently introduced a new phonics programme. Leaders have ensured that staff have been trained, and, overall, the new programme is being delivered well.

New reading books have also been purchased to support pupils' progression through the programme. However, in a few instances, the reading books pupils take home are not carefully matched to their existing phonics knowledge. This means that, at times, pupils miss out on further opportunities to practise their reading.

Pupils are keen to learn. This is reflected in their behaviour in classrooms. Low-level disruption is uncommon.

Pupils like answering teachers' questions and willingly work collaboratively with their peers.

Leaders provide many opportunities to support pupils' broader development. Pupils are taught about different cultures and learn from those who have different experiences and viewpoints to their own.

Pupils also like being able to take on the roles of house captains and prefects. Through these roles, pupils work to raise awareness of themes that are important to both the school and the wider community, such as water conservation and recycling.

Teachers said that they are well supported by leaders.

They appreciate the steps leaders take to look after staff's well-being and ensure that workload is well balanced.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive regular updates and training.

They know how to identify changes in pupils' behaviour or circumstances and report any concerns they may have about a pupil's safety and welfare.

Leaders work closely with external agencies to provide extra help when pupils need it. Adults are vigilant and know that safeguarding pupils is everyone's responsibility.

Leaders and governors ensure that all safeguarding checks on staff are completed in line with legislation.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum. They learn how to use the internet safely.

This includes, for example, not talking to strangers online and telling a trusted adult if they are worried about something they come across.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders' ambitious plans for the curriculum are not well embedded. Teaching has not routinely emphasised essential subject-specific content that pupils need to remember over time.

Sometimes, pupils find it hard to recall their previous learning. Leaders need to ensure that their aims for all curriculum subjects are implemented consistently well. This includes ensuring that pupils go over and practise the knowledge that they will need to be successful in their future learning.

• Occasionally, leaders have not carefully matched reading books to the sounds that pupils are learning. Leaders should make sure that the books they send home for pupils to read gives them plenty of opportunities to practise the sounds that they have learned in school.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2016.

Also at this postcode