Kingsmoor Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Kingsmoor Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this inclusive and welcoming school. They are polite and courteous. Pupils talk confidently about the 'Kingsmoor Code'.

They understand how this helps them to be kind, respectful and tolerant of others. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive. Many of them comment on the school's warm and friendly environment and the way in which staff support and care for pupils.

Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour and conduct. Pupils respond well to the clear structures and routines that are in place. Children in the early years are respectful and ea...ger to learn.

The environment in classrooms and around the school is calm and purposeful.

Pupils feel safe. They value their positive relationships with staff.

Adults provide any extra help pupils need to understand and manage their emotions. Pupils say that bullying is rare. If it occurred, they are confident that adults would deal with it quickly.

Pupils enjoy clubs such as choir, football and netball. They value opportunities to lead their own assemblies and support younger pupils. Pupils say that this makes them feel proud and gives them confidence to take on responsibilities.

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

Leaders and staff have high expectations for what all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve. They have carefully considered what pupils need to know and when they need to know it.

Leaders prioritise reading.

Staff and pupils share a love of reading. Older pupils in particular read a range of challenging texts with increasing fluency and expression. They understand how their reading builds their knowledge of diversity and equality.

All staff benefit from training in teaching phonics and reading. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. Reading books which match the sounds they are learning help pupils gain confidence.

If pupils fall behind, they receive help to catch up quickly.

Leaders have established a well-structured mathematics curriculum. Starting in the early years, staff develop children's mathematical vocabulary.

Children describe patterns in number confidently. Teachers routinely check on pupils' learning. They ensure pupils use their mathematical understanding and knowledge well to tackle increasingly complex problems.

In some wider curriculum subjects, pupils' knowledge is less secure. For example, in geography, some pupils can recall what they have learned about the features of their local environment and the impact of flooding. However, others struggle to build on what they learned before.

Teachers do not routinely check what pupils know and can do before teaching new knowledge. This makes it difficult for pupils and hampers the progress they make.

Leaders are ambitious for what pupils with SEND can achieve.

They work closely with parents and external agencies to ensure that these pupils receive the help they need. Leaders have used their training well to improve how they plan for each pupil. As a result, their plans are precise and regularly reviewed.

All pupils with SEND learn a broad and balanced curriculum.

Pupils have positive attitudes towards school. Children in the early years take turns and play well with one another.

Pupils of all ages benefit from the activities available during social times, including those in the extensive school grounds. In lessons, disruptions are rare. This enables pupils to get on with their learning.

Leaders support pupils' wider development well. Pupils know what it means to be a good friend. They understand the importance of healthy eating and regular sleep.

Pupils talk confidently about tolerance and equality and why these values are important. They develop their sense of character through the 'Friday activities' and 'mystery Mondays'. Pupils say that taking part helps them to learn new skills and develop their resilience.

Governors understand the school's strengths and areas for improvement well. They hold leaders to account. They ask the right questions to check on the quality of pupils' education.

Staff enjoy working at the school and value its team spirit. They appreciate how leaders consider their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that keeping children safe is everyone's responsibility. Staff are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities. They use their training to spot quickly pupils who are at risk.

Leaders check the suitability of staff to work with young children and pupils. Leaders work well with professionals and other agencies to help vulnerable pupils and their families.

Pupils understand how to stay safe in the real and online world.

They understand the importance of consent and of not sharing personal information.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teaching does not always check pupils' knowledge and understanding of the curriculum well enough. When this occurs, teaching does not build on what pupils have learned before.

As a result, pupils struggle to recall previous learning and do not build their knowledge well enough. Leaders need to ensure that teachers use assessment effectively so that pupils learn and remember the curriculum successfully in all subjects.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2013.