King George V Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school's work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring, happy school.

Many pupils join the school at different times in the year. Everyone works together to make sure that they feel welcome and secure. Support for pupils' personal development is a strength.

Pupils feel safe and valued.

Pupils do their best to live by the school's positive values. One pupil explained, 'Our values teach us to treat people with respect and kindness.'

... This contributes to the inclusive ethos. Pupils are proud of their school and attend regularly.

The school's expectations of what pupils will achieve are on the rise.

Recent changes to the curriculum mean that pupils are learning more now. However, pupils have gaps in their knowledge because some changes are in the very early stages. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could in some subjects.

The school provides pupils with a broad range of experiences and opportunities. Pupils love the many visits to places of interest, such as museums and galleries. They enjoy regular visits to the local library and the park.

They talk with pride about 'culture days', when they celebrate different beliefs and lifestyles. These activities prepare pupils well to become active, caring citizens.

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

The school has experienced considerable difficulties, including high staff turnover and changes in leadership, some of which are as a result of the impact of COVID-19.

This has posed challenges and had a negative impact on some aspects of the quality of education. The school has accurately identified the areas for development. Leaders at all levels, including governors, are working with renewed focus.

Governors provide effective support and challenge.

The school has made considerable changes to the curriculum. In most subjects, key learning is clearly sequenced so that staff can focus on the important knowledge that pupils need to remember.

However, in some subjects, these changes are very recent. Where this is the case, the school has not yet established ways of checking the impact of these changes on pupils' achievement. As a result, there are inconsistencies in the delivery of the curriculum in some subjects.

In more established subjects, such as mathematics, leaders use assessment information effectively to address any gaps in pupils' learning and adapt the curriculum accordingly. This is beginning to pay off. More pupils have the skills and knowledge expected for their age in mathematics.

The school's phonics programme is ambitious and well structured. Staff have good subject knowledge and deliver phonics with confidence. They use their checks on what pupils know and remember to identify and support pupils who are at risk of falling behind.

Almost all pupils achieve highly in phonics.

The reading curriculum beyond phonics is at any early stage of development. Some pupils in key stage 2 are not able to read fluently.

They do not have enough support to develop their fluency and strengthen their language comprehension. This hinders their progress. The writing curriculum is also at an early stage of development.

Pupils write for a range of different purposes. However, weaknesses in spelling, punctuation and grammar are not addressed over time. Therefore, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and do not achieve as well as they could in writing.

A key strength of the school is the development of pupils' spoken language. Staff take every opportunity to encourage pupils to share their thinking and build on each other's ideas. The interactions between staff and pupils extend pupils' vocabulary.

This starts in early years and continues through the school. This supports pupils' learning and self-confidence.

The curriculum in early years is ambitious and effective.

Children develop their language and communication skills quickly. From Nursery, children hear stories and learn songs and rhymes. Children in Reception learn how to use sounds to build words.

Children are well prepared for Year 1.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. They are included in all aspects of school life.

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. Pupils with more complex needs receive tailored care and support from well-trained adults.

The school has established an impressive personal development programme.

Pupils talk sensitively about issues such as equality, racism and prejudice. They are eager to talk about famous people like Rosa Parks and Malala Yousafzai. They are enthusiastic about religious education (RE).

They enjoy their visits to different places of worship. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Staff are committed to the school and feel that leaders thoughtfully manage their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The arrangements to assess the impact of curriculum changes on pupils' achievement are not established across all subjects, including aspects of English. This means that inconsistencies in the delivery of the curriculum are not addressed.

The school must ensure that leaders at all levels have the right skills and knowledge to complete their roles and responsibilities. ? There are weaknesses in the implementation of the writing curriculum. This limits the quality of pupils' writing in English and in other subjects.

The school should ensure that teaching gives sufficient focus to developing pupils' handwriting, spelling and punctuation skills so that gaps in pupils' knowledge about writing are addressed and they are well prepared for the next phase in their education. ? The reading curriculum beyond phonics is not yet fully implemented. Some pupils in key stage 2 do not have the right support to help them to develop comprehension and fluency skills.

They do not read widely or show an interest in reading. This further limits their comprehension and fluency. The school should ensure that pupils receive appropriate and timely support to develop their confidence and fluency in reading, particularly those weaker readers in key stage 2.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2019.