Kingslea Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk joyfully about their school. They are enormously proud to share stories about their learning and the many clubs that they attend each week.

One pupil explained to an inspector, 'The school does so much for us, that we want to give back.' Pupils are particularly proud of their eco-group and litter-picking club that help to keep the school a wonderful place to be.

Pupils celebrate their cultural differences.

They teach their peers to draw Hindu rangoli art in the playground and what it means to celebrate Eid. Pupils and staff dance to music together in the playground at playtimes. In assembly, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilitie...s (SEND) explain what it feels like to have a disability.

These pupils are well cared for by staff, ensuring that they get the appropriate support they need in their lessons.

Pupils feel safe in school and bullying is rare. High expectations and positive relationships have built an ethos of kindness.

This means that pupils trust the adults in school to help them if they need it. Classrooms are a vibrant place for pupils to learn. Pupils take great pride in their learning and delight in showing their books to visitors.

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

Staff and parents and carers praise the strong leadership of the school. All staff are proud to work at this school, and report that leaders care about their welfare. Leaders' clear vision for the school is set out in their 'Kingslea Charter'.

This states that every pupil will have support to achieve their potential through accessing a wide variety of enriching experiences. Leaders have carefully considered the skills and knowledge that pupils need in order to be able to learn further. Leaders continuously review the curriculum to make sure that learning is well ordered from Reception to Year 6.

They have an accurate view of which areas of this work are still in progress. Teachers carefully plan exciting learning activities that stretch pupils' thinking. Knowledgeable governors are aligned with different subject areas.

They challenge leaders of these subjects to help identify what pupils need to help them learn more.

Leaders ensure that all pupils learn to read as soon as they start school. Children in Reception learn the shape and sounds of all the letters of the alphabet.

They quickly learn how to use this knowledge to read whole words. In every class, pupils have access to exciting and well-selected books that they confidently read aloud in class. All pupils read to an adult every single day, either in school or at home.

When pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to catch up. Leaders say that all staff in school are teachers of reading. Leaders have plans to ensure that all staff have access to the training they need to deliver the phonics programme confidently.

Pupils with SEND are very well supported in lessons. Leaders have sought external help to remove barriers to learning and to ensure that pupils thrive. In physical education (PE), teachers carefully adapt activities so that all pupils can join in.

Leaders regularly review the support that pupils with SEND receive, to ensure that these pupils get the right help at the right time.

Behaviour in lessons is calm and purposeful. In Reception, children help themselves to the learning tools that they need.

They sit attentively, listening to their teacher, and immersed in their learning. Pupils say that there are high expectations around behaviour and the importance of being kind. One pupil said to inspectors, 'When I make a mistake, it's okay.

Staff help me fix it, so I learn.' In assembly, pupils celebrate each other's achievements, such as learning to swim or being a good role model. They use their impressive geography knowledge to challenge the headteacher to quizzes on the countries of the world.

Personal development is a real strength of this school. Pupils learn to be active citizens in their community. They can be a play leader and gather their peers' ideas about fun activities that they can play together at playtime.

Pupil governors work with the leadership team to plan charity projects. Pupils know how to be safe both when online and offline. They have access to a wide range of trips to enrich their learning in school.

For example, in Reception, the children go on trips to the supermarket to learn about different food and to buy healthy fruit to taste back at school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There are clear systems and processes in place to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm.

When pupils do report a concern, staff deal with it quickly. Staff have regular and up-to-date training. They know their pupils very well and can identify when they have an upset or worry.

When it is needed, families get extra support from external agencies.

The personal, social and health education curriculum is reactive, so that pupils get to learn about current issues. For example, there has been a real focus on mental health and building relationships following the COVID-19 pandemic.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not all staff who support pupils with reading are as skilled as they could be in teaching the school's phonics scheme. More needs to be done to ensure that phonics is taught in the school with complete fidelity and consistency of approach with all pupils. Further training needs to be put in place to ensure that all pupils benefit from high-quality phonics teaching at all times.

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not been clear enough about what pupils must know and do by the end of each phase of school. Leaders need to ensure that their aspirations for a knowledge-rich and well-sequenced scheme of work become a reality across all phases of the school. This will enable staff to have absolute clarity about what knowledge they are teaching pupils and how this connects with what pupils will learn in the future.

Also at this postcode