Kingsacre Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They value their friendships and learn to be polite, respectful and helpful. Older pupils mix with younger pupils, including children from Reception, in their 'family group' assemblies.

Consequently, pupils of all ages play very well together at breaktimes. Pupils and children in the early years setting thrive at Kingsacre Primary School. Pupils behave very well both in lessons and around the school.

They state that there is no bullying and that staff resolve friendship issues quickly.

Pupils learn about the importance of democracy throughout the curriculum. They respect each other's opinions and welcome friendly debate.
.../>In Year 5, pupils visit the Houses of Parliament to learn about British democracy. All pupils vote for the school captains who present the views of pupils to school leaders.

The school environment helps pupils to be physically active and to develop their imagination.

For example, pupils build dens in the school spinney and hunt for treasure among the trees in the school field. All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are fully included in school life.

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

The headteacher has been instrumental in improving the quality of education at the school.

Staff share leaders' aspirations for the academic and personal success of all pupils. Leaders have made reading a priority across all year groups. Pupils learn to apply their phonic knowledge well.

Staff enable pupils, including those with SEND, to discuss the themes and characters in the texts they read. In Reception, children make very strong links between letters and the sounds they represent. In pre-school, children learn about the sounds of words through rhyme and alliteration.

Consequently, pupils learn to read confidently.

Leaders and staff have developed a well-sequenced curriculum throughout the school. Consequently, pupils develop their knowledge in a breadth of subjects.

Teachers revisit prior learning, enabling pupils to remember more and learn more. In key stage 2, teachers frequently check that pupils understand what they have learned before moving on to new topics. However, in key stage 1, teachers do not do this as effectively.

The English curriculum enables pupils to understand how to write for different audiences, purposes and texts. In mathematics, pupils regularly review addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This helps them to learn more complex concepts successfully.

However, the curriculum in English and mathematics is not as well implemented in key stage 1 as it is in key stage 2.

In early years, leaders and staff nurture children's curiosity exceptionally well. For example, children relish learning about the changing of the seasons.

They express their understanding using words such as 'photosynthesis', 'deciduous', 'evergreen' and 'hibernation'. Children are highly enthusiastic about reading and writing. Staff provide a breadth of very well-planned activities to develop children's knowledge.

For example, children retell stories using puppets before writing their own versions. Children develop an exceptionally strong understanding of number through play. They demonstrated with pride their counting skills to inspectors.

Children develop their understanding of the world through well-designed activities. For example, children dress as police officers to direct the bicycle traffic using road safety language.

Children in Reception and pre-school mix very well.

Through play, they help to develop each other's language skills. Children are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their education.

The leadership of SEND is a strength of the school.

Pupils with SEND are fully included in the school curriculum. Children with SEND thrive in early years. Through bespoke support, they learn alongside other children successfully.

Staff use resources extremely well to develop children's physical development. For example, children in the pre-school learn to balance well on bicycles and scooters.

Pupils learn to be thoughtful, inclusive citizens of modern Britain.

They learn to value their community as well as appreciate different ways of life in other parts of the country. Through the curriculum, pupils learn to be kind and considerate and to show empathy for the needs of others.

Curriculum leaders are well supported in developing their subjects.

Through the cooperative trust, leaders collaborate with other schools to enrich the curriculum. Governors monitor the work of leaders very well. They ask challenging questions to support and challenge leaders in equal measure.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff are tenacious in their work to keep pupils emotionally and physically safe.

They are vigilant of local safeguarding risks. Leaders and staff work hard to educate pupils about how to keep themselves safe, particularly online.

Leaders liaise closely with external agencies to protect pupils.

All staff receive up-to-date safeguarding training. Leaders ensure that all staff are checked appropriately and are eligible to work with children.

Parents and carers, and staff who responded to their respective Ofsted questionnaires all agree that children are safe at the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have constructed a well-sequenced curriculum. However, the curriculum in key stage 1 is not as effectively implemented as it is in key stage 2. Leaders must ensure that pupils in key stage 1 learn and remember new topics as effectively as they do in key stage 2.