Jericho Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' personal development is exceptional at this friendly and welcoming school. They demonstrate high levels of respect for each other and for the people in their local community.

Pupils at Jericho Primary School understand and embrace the school's values. Pupils apply the principles of 'nurture, respect, achievement, creativity and adventure' in all that they do. For example, pupils in this school are kind and caring.

They have a deep understanding about the differences between people's families, cultures and religions.

The school has high expectations of pupils' learning and behaviour. Pupils live up to these expectations.

They apply themselves ...to their learning in lessons. Pupils benefit from a well-designed curriculum. They are keen to find out more about the wide range of ambitious topics that they learn.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well at this school.

Pupils relish the impressive range of opportunities that the school offers to develop their talents and interests. For example, pupils embrace drama performances, sports and singing in the choir.

Alongside these activities, there is a wide range of trips to develop pupils' independence. Children in the early years also enjoy trips to use local transport and learn about habitats when visiting the beach.

Pupils have many chances to take on responsibilities, such as being a buddy for younger pupils or being a team captain.

They eagerly seize opportunities to contribute to their school and community, for example, by helping to select playground equipment.

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

The school has been through a period of significant change, including moving into a new school building. Despite this, leaders have remained focused on identifying and improving the quality of education for pupils.

The focus on ensuring that staff deliver an effective curriculum has been at the forefront of the school's work. As a result of this work, pupils have continued to learn well.

The school has designed an ambitious and bespoke curriculum to meet the needs of its pupils.

In most subjects, the curriculum content carefully builds from the early years through to Year 6. Overall, teachers know precisely what they want pupils to learn. In the main, teachers carefully design learning activities to deliver new knowledge.

In a minority of subjects, however, leaders are in the process of refining the subject content to ensure that pupils gain a deeper understanding of key topics and concepts.

Staff have a strong subject knowledge across the breadth of subjects that they deliver. Subject leaders give clear guidance and training to staff to enable them to deliver the curriculum consistently well.

The school successfully uses assessment strategies to identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge. The curriculum is then appropriately adapted to consolidate pupils' learning.

The school accurately identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND.

Staff are well trained in a wide range of areas, such as autism. Staff make sure that pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Teachers skilfully adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet pupils' additional needs.

The school has prioritised reading, including a love of reading for all pupils. Leaders have ensured that all staff are fully trained in the chosen phonics scheme. Staff deliver phonics with consistency and preciseness.

Regular assessment of pupils' knowledge and skills in reading ensures that support is provided in a timely manner for each individual pupil. Pupils quickly learn to read confidently and fluently. Phonics teaching starts in the Reception Year.

In the Nursery Year, adults use songs and games to build children's knowledge of vocabulary, communication and language.

Governors and leaders routinely work with parents to identify and overcome any barriers to pupils' attendance. The wrap-around support for families ensures that pupils attend school often.

Pupils behave well in school, both in lessons and at social times. They enjoy working together to create games and activities to play at lunchtimes. Children in the early years quickly learn to take turns and to share with each other.

The school encourages children to engage in shared play that is related to the stories that they have read together.

The programme for pupils' personal development is striking. Enrichment experiences are carefully designed to build pupils' understanding of current affairs, as well as fundamental British values.

The school has embedded important aspects of pupils' wider learning and development, such as social skills, resilience and self-awareness, throughout all aspects of the school day. By engaging with local care homes, pupils learn empathy and understand their community better.

Governors meet their statutory duties.

They have a clear understanding of the needs of pupils and the priorities that are required to improve the quality of education further. They provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders. For example, to ensure consistent behaviour, governors have set up effective monitoring procedures.

Leaders and governors are aware of the impact of recent changes on staff's workload and well-being. Leaders have discussed new policies and made changes to systems and processes that are based on staff's feedback.

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 very small number of subjects, the school is refining the content of the curriculum. On occasion, this hinders the depth to which some pupils acquire new knowledge. The school should ensure that it has embedded the key knowledge that it wants pupils to learn in these remaining subjects.