Jacksdale Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a vibrant, welcoming school where pupils feel happy and safe.

Parents and carers are positive about the relationships that they have with the school.

As one parent explained, 'They go above and beyond for every child who attends and ensure that pupils feel safe, welcomed and happy.' Parents appreciate how much the school cares.

The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well.

Pupils get off to a good start with early reading. They achieve well with this. The school has an inclusive and nurturing approach.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the support they need to access their learning alongs...ide their peers.

The school is still developing some aspects of its curriculum. Pupils do not always achieve as well as they might in all subjects.

This includes in the early years. Pupils are not as prepared as they could be for the next stages of their education, as they have gaps in their knowledge.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils play well together at playtimes. The pupil 'sports crew' leaders organise games for younger pupils so that everyone can have a friend to play with.

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

Staff ensure that children in the early years benefit from supportive and caring relationships.

They teach children social skills so that they can play well together. Children's emotional well-being is prioritised. The school is reviewing the curriculum in the early years to ensure that children are fully ready for their next stages of learning.

It is still developing how learning activities progress from Nursery through to Reception. Some activities the school selects for the early years do not support children to achieve as well as they might. Staff are skilled practitioners.

However, they do not have enough specific guidance on what aspects of the curriculum to teach and the order in which to teach them.The school has high ambitions for pupils to read well. There is a sequenced curriculum for early reading.

Staff expertly model new letter sounds for pupils. Pupils learn new sounds well. There is a consistent approach in lessons and pupils understand expectations clearly.

Staff motivate pupils to have a 'can-do' attitude to reading. The curriculum is adapted so that pupils with SEND can access their learning. When necessary, pupils receive extra support to ensure that they catch up quickly.

The school makes rigorous checks on pupils' achievements in early reading. The books that pupils read are matched to the stages that they are at with their reading.The curriculum is undergoing some development and refinement.

This is so that pupils will be able to achieve well in all subjects. There are gaps in pupils' knowledge that the school is not fully addressing. This means that pupils struggle to build on prior learning and remember the new knowledge they are taught.

Additionally, staff do not check pupils' understanding and misconceptions closely enough in lessons. Often, staff move learning on in lessons before pupils have secured the knowledge and understanding they need.Pupils typically attend school on time every day.

They behave well around school. Lessons are calm, and pupils can enjoy their learning without distraction.The school provides a range of planned events so that pupils can benefit from experiences beyond their taught lessons.

Pupils can take part in sporting tournaments and activities such as the local dance festival. Pupils value these experiences. They enjoy their leadership roles in school.

School council members are voted into their positions by their classmates. They organise fundraising events for the school. The reading ambassadors take a lead in promoting reading and making book recommendations.

Pupils develop a good understanding of life in modern Britain. They are taught about fundamental British values and protected characteristics. Pupils understand the importance of equality.

They are respectful of different faiths and beliefs.The school is undertaking a range of improvements to the curriculum to make it better. This has brought some needed changes.

However, it is not yet checking closely enough on improvements it is making. The school does not always know which improvement steps are needed most urgently.The governing body understands its statutory duties.

Governors are involved in school life. Staff feel well supported by leaders. They appreciate the consideration they get from them about reducing workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In the early years, the school has not been specific enough in refining a coherent curriculum to support children's progression from Nursery to the end of Reception. This means that staff are not as clear as they should be about the knowledge and skills children need to learn in some areas.

Children are not provided with activities that lay the foundations of knowledge and skills for future learning. The school needs to improve the coherence and sequence of the curriculum in the early years, ensuring all staff are supported to deliver it, so that they can prepare children fully for their next stage of learning. The school curriculum is not fully focused on ensuring gaps in knowledge are being addressed for pupils in key stage 1 and key stage 2.

This means pupils have foundational knowledge and understanding missing for some subject areas. The school needs to ensure that core knowledge is clearly specified so that pupils can learn new knowledge securely. ? In lessons, staff do not make rigorous checks on pupils' learning.

Often, they move lessons on before they are clear that pupils have understood their learning fully. As a result, pupils leave lessons with misconceptions. The school should support staff in using accurate checks on pupils' learning so that gaps in learning are addressed swiftly.

• The school is not making accurate checks for all the improvements it is making, in some curriculum subjects. This means it has not identified some priorities that need more urgent action. The school needs to make more rigorous checks on the curriculum so that improvement activities are prioritised and evaluated accurately.