Kenmont Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have put in place a curriculum that aims to ensure that all pupils enjoy learning and achieve well in the subjects that they study. In most areas, including reading and mathematics, the curriculum is working well.

Pupils are prepared effectively for their future learning.

Leaders and teachers encourage pupils to take part in the wider life of the school, including becoming a member of the school council. Pupils also take part in many educational outings.

These are planned to complement pupils' learning and help them to learn about the world around them. Pupils are positive about all that the school has to offer. They particularly like the way that lea...ders seek and listen to their views on how to make the school even better.

Pupils like the new rules and routines that leaders have introduced to promote good behaviour. In lessons, pupils typically try hard and are keen to learn. They offer their ideas readily and settle down to work quickly.

Bullying is rare and quickly nipped in the bud by staff. Breaktimes are calm and friendly. Pupils are kept safe and are well looked after by staff.

Parents and carers are very supportive of leaders' ambition to ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive a high-quality education.

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

From the early years upwards, leaders have put in place an ambitious curriculum for all subjects, including early reading. Subject leaders have based their curriculum thinking on the aims and content of the national curriculum.

They have also worked closely with colleagues from across a partnership of local schools to design and improve what is taught in each subject. Expectations for what pupils should know and remember are clear and appropriately demanding. Leaders have also thought carefully about how this knowledge should be revisited so that pupils know and remember more.

However, leaders have not given as much thought to how learning in each year group follows on logically from what pupils have learned and practised previously, particularly in the early years classes. Because of this, sometimes pupils are unable to build effectively on their existing understanding.

In class, teaching focuses on making sure that pupils grasp ideas and recall them readily.

Assessment is used well to identify pupils' misconceptions and things that they are finding difficult to understand. Typically, teachers adjust activities and tasks effectively to make sure that pupils' knowledge is developing successfully. Sometimes, however, activities and resources are not effective in helping pupils to understand subject content.

This reduces pupils' readiness to tackle more-complex ideas and tasks later on.

Leaders' approach to early reading, including phonics, is well established and effective. Everyone at the school knows how important reading is.

As soon as children join Reception, they begin learning phonics. The phonics programme is delivered so that pupils learn and practise sounds step by step. Careful checks on pupils' knowledge mean that those who need extra help with reading are identified and supported straight away.

Leaders and staff help pupils to love reading. Pupils said how much they enjoy hearing their teachers read aloud to them.

Leaders and staff make sure that pupils with SEND are identified and supported.

They prioritise making sure that pupils can learn the same curriculum as their peers. Through adaptations to activities and resources in classrooms, this aim is realised consistently well.

Pupils behave well here.

The new behaviour policy means that pupils and staff are increasingly clear about leaders' expectations. Pupils are responding well to these expectations. Any off-task behaviour in lessons is dealt with quickly by staff.

In the early years, staff are skilled at supporting children to follow routines. Children are taught how to behave in a considerate way, for example by sharing equipment or being supportive of their friends.

Leaders are aspirational in their work to support pupils' personal development.

Everything that leaders put in place centres on their aim to give pupils as many opportunities as possible to see the world beyond their immediate experience. They foster in pupils a strong sense of self-belief. This is reflected in leaders' work to make sure that the curriculum is representative of the whole school community and that diversity is celebrated and valued.

Leaders expect pupils to be accepting and welcoming to all, and equally curious about the world.

The programme of enrichment, including the visits and clubs that leaders organise, is one of the pillars of leaders' work to broaden pupils' horizons. It is comprehensive and rich.

For example, pupils took part in outings to London museums linked to their learning in science and history. All pupils will visit the local library this year as part of leaders' work to promote a love of reading and ensure that pupils read widely. Working in a partnership with other local schools has helped leaders to develop the school's enrichment curriculum further.

Pupils enjoy taking part in competitions and events with other schools.Staff appreciate the way that leaders continually look to improve opportunities for their professional development. They understand their role in ensuring that pupils learn and achieve successfully.

The governing body has a clear understanding of its role at the school and fulfils its duties effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured that there is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school.

They understand the context of working in a small primary school and they have ensured that the policies that they follow are appropriate for their school's circumstances.

Staff receive regular training and know the school's safeguarding policies. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, curriculum thinking is still being refined to make sure that what pupils are taught builds successfully on prior learning, including what has been taught in the early years. Because of this, pupils' understanding and recall of subject content is more secure and detailed in some subjects than others. Leaders should continue their work to strengthen the sequence of learning in these subjects, and in turn ensure that pupils' knowledge develops in logical, progressive steps.

• Some teaching includes activities that are not well selected to help pupils to understand the key subject content that is being taught. Over time, this reduces how well pupils are able to understand and remember knowledge. Leaders need to support teachers to develop their expertise in selecting activities and resources that match the aims of leaders' curriculum thinking.

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