Kilnhurst Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are resilient. They have ensured that the school has continued to improve, in spite of two significant floods and the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. The quality of education on offer is now good.

From the early years onwards, children learn the importance of being respectful, friendly and kind. Pupils behave well. Classrooms are calm and settled.

Pupils enjoy nurturing and trusting relationships with adults. They know that staff care for them and will help them if they have any worries or concerns. Bullying is rare.

Pupils are confident that if this were to happen, the adults in school would deal with it effectively.

Pupils enjoy the re...sponsibilities of contributing to their community. The school council, which is elected by pupils in school, meets regularly and contributes to decisions made in school.

Older pupils are actively involved in ensuring that playtimes are enjoyable experiences for all. They encourage others to be active and ensure all, who wish to be, are involved.

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

Reading has a high priority at Kilnhurst Primary School.

Leaders have worked in collaboration with partners across the trust to develop a strong reading curriculum. The school's phonics programme is well sequenced and planned. Reading continues to play an important role as pupils progress through the school.

They are supported to become confident and fluent readers. Teachers encourage pupils to read independently throughout the week. This ensures that pupils get the practice they need.

If a pupil starts to fall behind, this is picked up immediately and effective support is given. Leaders have chosen books carefully to support the wider curriculum in subjects such as history and geography. Leaders have chosen texts that introduce pupils to a diverse range of cultures.

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Teachers have received specific training to support their delivery of the planned curriculum. Well-trained subject leaders monitor learning in their individual subjects.

Because of this, these leaders are able to offer effective suggestions for improvement to colleagues. However, in some subjects, curriculum planning does not make clear the precise knowledge, skills and vocabulary that leaders want pupils to know and remember. In these subjects, pupils become overloaded with information.

They are unable to recall important learning well.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those who are disadvantaged, are supported well in their learning to access the full curriculum. Staff and leaders know these pupils well.

Children in the early years get off to a good start. Children work well together. Teachers plan activities that help children to develop as independent and confident learners.

Leaders have ensured that the education that these children receive prepares them well for transition into Year 1 and beyond. Leaders have worked together to ensure that the curriculum pupils receive further in school has its strong foundations here.

Leaders give consideration to pupils' broader personal development.

Pupils enjoy attending a broad range of after-school clubs. The emotional support that pupils receive is effective; there is a high level of nurture in this caring school. The school's personal, social and health education curriculum supports pupils to be both physically and mentally healthy.

Leaders have a clear approach to promote positive behaviour across the school. Staff consistently apply these principles. Pupils behave well.

They are polite and courteous to visitors and to each other. They listen well during lessons and follow teachers' instructions.

Some pupils miss too many days from school.

Leaders recognise this and have implemented a revised strategy to improve attendance and punctuality. For some pupils, this has had a positive impact. This is particularly the case when there are effective working relationships between teachers, pupils and adults at home.

Leaders recognise that there is more to do to ensure that these relationships are strengthened further for some families.

Teachers appreciate leaders' concern for their workload and well-being. Staff morale is positive.

Governors and trust members know the school well. They work closely with leaders; they understand the different aspects of the school's work and can talk about this in great detail. This understanding has a highly positive impact on the work of the school.

They provide leaders with appropriate challenge and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff complete a comprehensive range of training to identify when a pupil could be at risk.

Leaders then check to ensure all staff understand their specific roles in keeping pupils safe, for example through regular updates and quizzes. Where safeguarding concerns are identified, staff pass these on to leaders. Timely action is taken to support pupils to get the help they need.

Leaders have ensured that the right checks are carried out on adults who work with children. The school's single central record is well maintained by the school's conscientious administrative team.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe.

They are aware of the dangers they may face when online and of the dangers that might present in the local community, such as those near water, railways or roads. Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong; they are quietly assertive when rejecting unsafe or risky actions.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, notably science and history, the essential knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to be taught has not been sufficiently refined.

As a result, at times, pupils are faced with too much information and they struggle to retain new knowledge. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum clearly sets out the precise detail of what pupils need to know, when and in what order within these subjects. ? Some pupils, particularly those who are vulnerable, do not attend school often enough.

This means that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, do not access all aspects of their education. Leaders should continue to work with all families to fully embed their new attendance strategy. This will support pupils to arrive at school punctually and to attend well.