Kidsgrove Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend very regularly. They are extremely enthusiastic about their learning, especially in reading and art and design. Leaders challenge all pupils to do as well as they can.

This leads to pupils succeeding highly in English and mathematics. Leaders ensure that those who find learning difficult get the support they need. Younger children get off to an exceptional start in Nursery and Reception.

Pupils feel safe in school and are aware how to keep themselves safe. They know who to report to if a rare bullying incident occurs. Leaders deal with cases promptly.

Pupils are confident to talk to adults if something worries them. Be...haviour in the school has rapidly improved. Pupils get on very well with each other.

Most of them set extremely high standards of behaviour.

Pupils can be elected as a member of the school parliament where they convey their views to leaders. They appreciate the wide variety of additional opportunities outside of the classroom including 'Kidsgrove on Tour'.

Pupils enjoy using the school's digital film studio.

Parents responding to inspectors were overwhelmingly positive about the school, particularly staff commitment to the support and nurture of their children.

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

Leaders have planned a highly ambitious curriculum.

It is rooted in ensuring that children learn to read fluently and confidently. They have trained staff very well. This provides them with the expert subject knowledge to teach reading highly effectively throughout the school.

Reading is a priority from the very beginning of early years. In Nursery, leaders introduce the teaching of phonics early. Children and older pupils use their phonic knowledge well to decode unfamiliar words and read more challenging texts.

All learners can take electronic tablets home. This means they can read digital books with their parents.

Children in the early years are very well prepared for the next step in their learning by the end of Reception.

The curriculum is carefully considered and designed around themes, currently the Platinum Jubilee. Staff make the most of every opportunity to revisit and review pupils' work in greater depth. Adults model key language very well.

The consistent delivery of a revised mathematics curriculum ensures that pupils are successful learners. The planned sequencing of lessons allows them to build on their previous learning. For example, applying what they know about doubles and halves in early years.

They use this knowledge in their new work. Where pupils struggled with a topic, such as line graphs in Year 6, teachers recap the concepts until pupils are secure.In art and design, adults' expert subject knowledge helps pupils achieve very high standards.

Children in the early years produce detailed work in the style of Jackson Pollock. Older pupils make intricate designs based on the work of artist Michael Brennand Wood. Pupils are confident using subject-specific technical vocabulary.

Provision and specialist knowledge in music and Spanish is less well developed. Leaders recognise this and have plans to further develop these subjects. This was confirmed in discussions with pupils and teachers.

All teaching staff check pupils' learning carefully. They use this to prepare the next stages in learning and identify any misconceptions to address.

Support and curriculum adaption is highly effective for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Provision before school and short targeted sessions after lunch help pupils address gaps in their learning. Staff successfully encourage pupils to work on their own or with others. This reduces reliance on adult support.

Leaders have successfully transformed behaviour in the school. It is a safe and pleasant environment in which to work. Pupils agree behaviour has significantly improved.

A small number of pupils, who have additional needs, struggle to manage their behaviour. Adults work well to support them. This has led to a positive impact on their behaviour.

Elsewhere there are small pockets of off-task low-level disruption that are not consistently picked up by adults.

Provision for pupils' personal development is exceptional. Leaders provide high-quality support for physical and mental health, and teaching on relationships and sex education.

Pupils benefit from the extensive range of clubs, including in sport and music. A large majority of pupils participate in at least one activity, including all disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.

Leaders are highly considerate of staff workload and well-being.

They have removed the requirement to mark pupils' work at home. The support of the interim executive board (IEB) and trust has been invaluable in ensuring that the school is very well-staffed and resourced. Leaders enable staff at every stage of their career to continue receiving highly effective training.

Staff morale is very high. All agreed that the school is exceptionally well led and managed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a culture and reporting system that helps them to identify quickly any pupil at risk or who needs additional help. They are prompt in securing external advice or early help. Staff are well trained to identify concerns.

Suitable arrangements for the safe recruitment of staff and response to allegations are in place. Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe, for example learning about cyber bullying and harmful sexual behaviours. Pupils are confident they would report such an incident if it arose.

The IEB conducts regular checks to ensure that leaders meet their safeguarding duties.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders' plans for music and Spanish are still at an early stage of implementation. As a result, the provision for pupils is not as extensive as it is in other subjects such as art, for example.

Leaders should ensure that provision and teachers' subject knowledge in music and Spanish is as consistently well-embedded as it is in other subjects ? There are some incidents of low-level disruptive behaviour in lessons that are not consistently picked up by adults. This leads to some pupils remaining off task and not completing their work. Leaders should ensure that adults consistently apply the school's behaviour policy to keep pupils consistently engaged with their learning.

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