Kings Road Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel exceptionally well cared for at this school.

This was best summed up by pupils, who said that they feel 'cherished' by their teachers. Pupils spoke particularly highly about the 'Hub', which is a safe space that they can go to at lunchtimes to speak with their teachers about anything that is worrying them. This makes them feel safe.

Relationships between pupils and staff are very positive. Pupils show high levels of courtesy and care towards all members of their school community. Pupils rarely fall out with each other.

Leaders take appropriate actions to deal with any occasional bullying concerns when they arise.

Leaders have high expecta...tions for what all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), should learn. In many subjects, pupils achieve well.

Staff expect pupils to behave well. Pupils meet these expectations. Pupils are extremely well-mannered.

They conduct themselves very well throughout the school day. They are attentive in their lessons, so any disruptions to learning are minimal.

Pupils enjoy the annual 'Mantle of the Expert' weeks, in which they immerse themselves in role-playing activities linked to historic periods and events.

Pupils also get various opportunities to learn different musical instruments, such as the ukulele.

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

Leaders have ensured that there is a broad and balanced curriculum offer from the Nursery Year to Year 6.

Leaders have identified what pupils should learn by the end of each year.

In some subjects, such as English and mathematics, leaders have broken down what pupils need to know into small, sensible steps that help them to build on their knowledge securely over time. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well in these subjects. However, in some other subjects and in parts of the early years curriculum, leaders have not been as specific about the knowledge that pupils should learn.

In these subjects, teachers sometimes do not teach all the important content that pupils need to know. Occasionally, teachers do not teach content in a logical order. In turn, pupils do not build their knowledge as securely as they could in these areas of the curriculum.

In most subjects, teachers use appropriate assessment strategies to establish how well pupils are learning. In these subjects, teachers provide clear guidance to help pupils correct their errors and misconceptions.

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND have their needs identified and met.

Staff adapt their delivery of the curriculum well for pupils with SEND so that they can access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates. Leaders have an equally strong commitment to ensuring that this is also true for the many pupils who are new to speaking English as an additional language. Leaders have developed a well-established programme of effective support for these pupils so that no time is wasted in helping them with any language barriers that they have.

Leaders promote a love of reading in various ways. They have thoughtfully considered the books that teachers read to pupils so that pupils experience authors and characters that often reflect the diverse community at the school. Pupils enjoy these books.

Children learn to read through the phonics programme as soon as they start in the early years. Staff are well trained in teaching this programme. They ensure that pupils read books which are mostly well matched to the sounds that they know.

Leaders ensure that highly skilled staff provide effective additional support to pupils who might be struggling to read fluently. As a result, many pupils learn to read confidently as soon as they should.

Leaders cater for pupils' personal development well.

Pupils have opportunities to debate issues in different curriculum subjects. Pupils access clubs that range from sports to music and reading. Leaders ensure that clubs take place throughout the school day so that those who cannot stay for after-school clubs do not completely miss out.

Older pupils have ample opportunities to take on many leadership roles that are available. These include school council roles and head pupil responsibilities. Leaders provide other experiences, such as school trips and visitors to school, which broaden pupils' horizons and enrich the curriculum further.

Pupils show high levels of self-control when moving around the school. They behave well during breaktimes and lunchtimes. They enjoy their lessons and take pride in their work.

Low-level misbehaviour is rare. This is also true for children in the early years. Teachers are kind and considerate when supporting pupils who occasionally need to reflect on the impact of their actions on others.

Leaders are taking actions to improve the attendance and punctuality of all pupils. They have implemented different school-wide initiatives to promote regular attendance and to ensure that pupils arrive at school on time. However, leaders' actions and the systems that they use to track attendance and punctuality sometimes lack the rigour that is needed.

At times, this hinders their ability to remove the specific barriers that are preventing pupils from attending regularly and getting to school on time. This means that these pupils continue to miss out on important learning.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about leaders' and governors' actions to create a positive working environment.

There is a strong team spirit at the school. Staff feel well supported by leaders and by their colleagues. Staff morale is high.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained to identify any signs that might suggest a pupil is at risk of harm. They have a clear and consistent understanding about what to do to report any concerns that they may have about pupils' welfare.

Leaders take effective actions in response to any concerns about a pupil's safety. In the main, leaders keep appropriate records of such concerns and their responses.

Leaders are attuned to the additional safeguarding risks present in the local area.

Leaders have put effective measures in place in response to the specific issues their school community faces.

Pupils learn how to stay safe, including when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, and in the early years curriculum, leaders have not clarified the important knowledge that they expect pupils to learn.

As a result, teachers are sometimes unclear on what they should teach pupils. In turn, this sometimes prevents pupils from acquiring all the important knowledge that they need. Leaders should clearly identify their expectations about what pupils will learn and when teachers will teach it.

• A sizeable number of pupils do not attend school regularly and do not get to school on time. This means that they miss out on important parts of their learning. Leaders should refine their systems and actions that are intended to improve pupils' attendance and punctuality so that pupils do not frequently miss out on their schooling.

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