King’s Gate Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending King's Gate Primary School, which is a hub in the community.

They are happy and look forward to their learning. The school motto, 'We work best when we work together', sits at the heart of what the school does. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the work of the school.

Many pupils join the school in later years, rather than Reception. Parents say that their children settle in quickly as the school fosters harmonious relationships.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour.

There is a kind and caring culture across the school. As a result, pupils behave well. Learning takes place without disruption because th...e school is calm and orderly.

Pupils feel safe; parents agree. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils know that staff consider their needs carefully.

Pupils engage keenly with members of the community, such as the nearby residential home. They enjoy inviting the residents into school for tea and singing carols to them. Pupils value becoming play leaders and members of the school council.

They say these roles make them feel proud and help them to improve their school, for example by raising money for climbing equipment in the playground.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum, which starts in Reception year. Subject curriculums identify the key concepts that pupils need to know.

This enables pupils to build on prior learning to deepen their knowledge. In subjects where published outcomes are below national expectations, the school has taken effective action to strengthen the curriculum. For example, it has made sure that staff implement the reading curriculum effectively across the school.

Despite this, in a few subjects, such as geography, teachers are not presenting subject matter clearly to pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This makes it more difficult for pupils to learn and remember important knowledge. As a result, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not build their knowledge well enough over time.

The school responds well to meet the needs of pupils who join the school at different times across the year. Many of these are pupils with SEND. The school has a clear understanding of the needs of these pupils and supports them well.

Pupils' targets are precise. Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers.

Reading is a priority.

Pupils develop their love of reading by reading books from the school's '100 book' list. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. As a result of effective teaching, pupils become fluent readers in key stage 1.

Reading continues to be central within the English curriculum as pupils move through the school. Pupils read texts together that broaden their vocabulary and heighten their understanding of world events and history. Teachers read stimulating stories to younger pupils that help with articulation and expression.

If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them catch up quickly.

Pupils' independent written work is not developing as well as their reading. The school's expectations of pupils' writing is not high enough.

This means that some pupils, from Reception year onwards, continue to make basic errors in spelling and punctuation. Despite this, pupils develop cursive handwriting from Year 3, and their scripts are legible and presented neatly.

The school makes sure that children in Reception year acquire a rich vocabulary and become confident in communicating their ideas, thoughts and feelings.

Language work remains a strength of the school. Pupils are confident to speak to visitors and debate topical issues with sensitivity and respect.

Pupils have positive attitudes towards learning.

They show interest in their subjects. The school has high expectations for pupil attendance. The procedures for managing and improving attendance are effective.

The school tracks attendance closely. It intervenes early to stop pupils having too much time off.

The personal, social, health and economic curriculum provides pupils with helpful advice on how to manage themselves during the different times in their lives.

Pupils understand why British values are important. Pupils are aware of how to keep themselves safe, especially when online. There is a strong military presence in the community.

The school values this presence, and have shown this in the past by engaging with a company so that pupils saw a helicopter land in the school field.

Those responsible for governance ensure that the school maintains its positive ethos while growing in pupil numbers. They have a firm grasp of what the school has achieved so far.

Staff feel supported by the school. They value working with colleagues from across the trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Staff expectations of pupils' independent written work are not high enough. When this happens, some pupils' work has inaccurate spelling and punctuation. The trust must ensure that staff raise their expectations and check pupils' learning to help them write accurately and fluently independently.

• In some subjects, teachers are not presenting and adapting subject matter clearly to pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, pupils find it difficult to remember their learning and have gaps in their knowledge. The trust needs to ensure that teachers deliver the curriculum effectively in order to help pupils know more and remember more.