John Gulson Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

John Gulson Primary School places inclusivity at the heart of everything it does.

The school values everyone, adult or pupil, as an individual and as a member of the school family. A warm welcome awaits as you enter the school and happy, smiley faces are everywhere. Pupils are very polite and eager to share their pride in the school.

They have excellent manners.

The school welcomes pupils from many nationalities. While pointing out the numerous flags that decorate the corridor, one pupil said, 'We are proud of our diversity.'



Pupils are very happy in school. They feel safe and are safe. They know that they can share any worries or question...s with adults in school and they will help to put things right.

Pupils do not see bullying as an issue in school. Pupils play happily together.

Behaviour in lessons and at other times of the day is good.

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils listen well to adults and each other.

The school is ambitious for all its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The school maximises every opportunity to raise pupils' expectations and life experiences. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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

The school recognises the diverse needs of its community.

It works relentlessly to meet these needs. The school has designed the curriculum to enrich pupils' lives and give them the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.

The school has planned the curriculum in a logical sequence that helps pupils build on past knowledge and make links between learning.

Attractive displays, including work from all pupils, help pupils learn and consolidate learning. Art galleries in corridors celebrate the developing skills and talents of all pupils. Vibrant outdoor learning sessions enhance many aspects of the curriculum, including developing vocabulary and social skills.

Teachers know what they should teach and how the curriculum develops over time. This helps staff teach well and adapt their teaching successfully to meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEND. Support staff skilfully transfer from a pupils' home language to English.

This helps pupils who speak English as an additional language access the learning. They quickly learn to speak and understand English.

Reading is prioritised by the school.

Books are everywhere and cover a range of issues and themes. The teaching of early reading starts in the Nursery with rhymes and stories. The school follows its chosen phonic scheme faithfully.

All staff receive training and have access to ongoing support. This helps them teach phonics well.Pupils enjoy reading and learn to read with increasing confidence, fluency and understanding.

Pupils across the school enjoy listening to staff read stories that have been carefully chosen to develop vocabulary and a love of reading.

In subjects such as English, mathematics, history and religious education, staff use assessment well. Staff know what to assess to ensure pupils have learned the intended curriculum.

In a few subjects, such as the creative arts, the use of assessment is less well embedded. Additionally, assessment within lessons is not used consistently well in all classes, including in the Nursery and Reception classes. This means occasionally teachers do not identify gaps in learning or misconceptions pupils have or provide pupils with the resources or support they need to help them learn well.

Pupils with SEND receive strong support. The school quickly identifies and meets their needs. Pupils who spend time in 'Nests or Nestlings' receive effective personalised support.

This ensures pupils are happy, safe and thriving, and that they are ready for the next stage in their education.

Children in early years are happy and well cared for. They develop the early reading and number skills they need.

However, the environment and the curriculum are not as well developed as they should be. The school knows that, following a period of staffing instability, the curriculum needs to be enhanced. It has already begun to take positive steps to address this.

Nevertheless, children do not always receive the guidance they need to learn well in all areas of learning.

Personal development provision is exemplary. The school has developed a strong personal, social, health education curriculum, including the teaching of protected characteristics.

The school includes everyone, without fail, in all activities. The wealth of clubs, visitors and visits carefully planned by the school enriches pupils' lives, talents and aspirations.

Pupils have an excellent understanding of fundamental British values and relate them to school values.

Pupils learn about different religions and places of worship. The school prepares pupils extremely well for life in today's world.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment is not consistently well used in some subjects and some year groups. This means teachers do not always identify pupils who need further help or have misconceptions. The school should ensure that teachers know how to systematically check learning in their subjects so that they can identify pupils who need further help.

• The planned learning opportunities in the early years do not consistently develop children's learning and purposeful play. As a result, children do not always engage in learning opportunities fully and some learning opportunities are missed. The school should develop and enhance the curriculum and learning environment to ensure children receive the important learning experiences they need to achieve well in all areas of learning.