Kingsway Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Kingsway Primary's motto of 'kindness, perseverance and success' permeates the daily experiences of pupils. They understand why these values are so important in helping everyone. Consequently, this is a happy and safe school, where pupils gain confidence and succeed.

Staff are dedicated and want the best for pupils. They get to know the pupils well, beginning with children in the Nursery right through to Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given effective support.

As a result, pupils attend well and have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. The school day is calm and orderly.
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Pupils, including those who attend the early bird club, start each morning positively. Pupils say that bullying is rare. If any issues occur, staff usually resolve them swiftly.

Pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum. The strength of this lies in how it is matched to the needs of the pupils. As a result, pupils achieve well and are prepared for the next stage of their education, including in the early years foundation stage (EYFS).

However, there are still a few inconsistencies in some subjects which mean pupils do not enjoy the same high-quality learning across the whole curriculum.

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

Governors reacted positively to the disappointment of the previous inspection. They wasted no time in making the necessary changes.

Their vision and ambition for pupils are a driving force for improvement. The pandemic has not derailed their focus. Governors have made key appointments to establish a talented leadership team.

Governors are thorough in checking the work of the school to assure themselves of the quality of care and education that the pupils receive.

The headteacher and senior leaders are ambitious for pupils. Senior leaders have ensured that there are effective systems in place to enable pupils to enjoy and achieve, including high-quality, tailored support for pupils with SEND.

Senior leaders are successfully developing other leaders so that there is even greater capacity to keep improving, including in the EYFS. Staff feel empowered. Leaders provide appropriate support to help staff manage their workload.

Leaders have focused well to improve the curriculum. As a result, the school has an ambitious curriculum that sets out clearly what pupils must know and by when. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum develops children's knowledge in the early years through to the end of Year 6.

The curriculum develops knowledge coherently and logically in most subjects, including in English and mathematics. Teachers use their ongoing checks to plan the appropriate next steps for pupils. However, there are a few occasions when pupils do not learn as well because the sequence of learning is not secure, for example in history.

There are also a few remaining subjects, such as computing, where leaders have not designed a curriculum that is as effective as other subjects.Leaders promote reading well. They know this is the 'gateway' to enable pupils to be successful.

Reading is a prominent part of pupils' learning. In the EYFS, leaders and staff have established a strong focus on reading. For example, through the curriculum children begin to recognise sounds and enjoy books with adults in the Nursery.

As the children grow, they learn to love reading. Pupils understand the importance of this in their lives. Leaders have ensured that there is an effective phonics programme in place.

As a result, most pupils learn to read fluently by the end of key stage 1. Those who fall behind are given the right support to catch up. However, in some cases, phonics books are not matched consistently to the sounds that pupils are learning or already know.

For some pupils, this interrupts their fluency and comprehension which holds them back.

Leaders make pupils' personal, social and emotional development a priority. There are a range of activities designed to raise pupils' confidence and self-esteem.

Members of the pastoral team work closely with teachers and other staff to help pupils overcome challenging personal situations. As a result, pupils learn to adapt and take responsibility for their actions. Pupils gain resilience and independence through the curriculum.

For example, children in the Nursery make decisions about when to have their snack. Staff help children to prepare their own food and drink and tidy away afterwards.

Pupils enjoy different opportunities to help in the running of the school.

They feel that they have a voice, such as through the school council, and are listened to. Kingsway Primary prepares respectful, kind and tolerant pupils who are well prepared for their next steps and life in modern Britain.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are tenacious in their work to keep pupils safe. The school has appropriate systems for checking, vetting and training new members of staff in child protection. Leaders make timely referrals and work closely with a range of external agencies to keep pupils safe, for example health visitors' support for children in the EYFS.

Staff work effectively to promote pupils' mental health and emotional well-being. For example, the pastoral team ensure interventions are implemented swiftly for identified pupils, whenever these are needed.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have established an ambitious curriculum.

However, there are a few remaining inconsistencies, such as in aspects of history and computing, where the subject curriculums are not as effective as others. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum realises the potential for pupils to achieve equally well in all subjects. ? The school has an effective phonics programme in place.

However, pupils' books are not consistently matched well enough to the sounds that they know or are learning. This can hold a few pupils back. Leaders must make sure that pupils' phonics books are matched with greater precision and accuracy to the sounds pupils already know and are learning.