Kingswood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kept safe and know who their trusted adults are.

They enjoy coming to school and learning with their friends. There is a sense of shared pride throughout the school. Pupils act with consideration and show courtesy to others.

Pupils benefit from the varied extra-curricular offer. They can take their interests further through a range of clubs, including gymnastics, gardening and art. Pupils develop their leadership skills through a range of roles, such as play ambassadors, peer mediators and school council representatives.

Pupils enjoy the outdoor space and having quiet zones to read as well as inviting areas to play ball games.

The school h...as high ambitions for pupils. Leaders have planned a broad and balanced curriculum in line with what pupils need to learn nationally.

Pupils are proud of their achievements. They achieve well in national assessments. In a few subjects, the teaching of the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development.

This means that key ideas are not consistently taught, including for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

In most subjects, the school has set out precisely what it wants pupils to learn and when. This is sequenced so that pupils build on their knowledge securely over time.

For example, in history, pupils are introduced to key ideas across the curriculum. Children in early years begin learning about the achievements of humans. Then in Year 1, they can begin to learn about the significant achievements of women in history.

This means that older pupils can then consider the lunar landings as achievements and evaluate whether their impact was worth the cost of space exploration.

In a few subjects, however, teaching does not consistently ensure that all pupils, including pupils with SEND, are securing the key concepts needed for future learning effectively. Occasionally, adaptations are not supporting pupils to access the curriculum.

This means that some pupils are not building on previous learning and that misconceptions are not tackled quickly enough.

Pupils with SEND are appropriately identified. Teachers are trained to support pupils as part of an inclusive environment.

The school works with parents and external agencies to understand pupils' needs so that they can succeed in all aspects of school life.

Pupils begin learning to read as soon as they start school. Staff receive training in the teaching of phonics.

Pupils, including pupils with SEND, have opportunities to practise their reading with books matched to the sounds they are learning. Pupils who struggle with reading are given effective support to become more fluent and confident. The school promotes a love of stories.

Reading is carefully planned across the curriculum so that pupils encounter key ideas across topics. For example, pupils read fiction and non-fiction texts in English to deepen their learning about Pompeii in geography.

Pupils behave well and lessons are rarely disrupted.

Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes towards each other and adults. They are awarded house points for demonstrating the Kingswood values. Bullying is rare, and pupils trust adults to deal with any concerns.

Typically, pupils are focused on their learning in lessons. Some of the policies for behaviour and attendance are at the early stages of implementation. This means that, at times, pupils and staff are not clear on the agreed expectations and consequences.

The school is working with families to increase attendance and decrease persistent absence sustainably.

Pupils' wider development is well considered. The curriculum is carefully designed to support pupils' understanding of important concepts.

For example, pupils in Year 2 learn about posting information online and how to stay safe. This means that pupils in Year 6 can learn about building a positive online reputation for their future careers. Pupils are taught about how to appreciate different faiths and cultures.

This is extended through cultural events, such as the school's annual carnival and Windrush celebrations.

Staff feel supported by leaders in the school community. Teachers, including those at the early stages of their career, feel that their workload and well-being are carefully considered.

Governors fulfil their statutory duties. Leaders and those responsible for governance have worked effectively to maintain high standards for all pupils during a period of transition.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, teaching does not consistently focus on the most important knowledge and skills. As a result, the foundations that pupils need for future learning are not always secure and misconceptions are not addressed as swiftly as they could be. The school should ensure that all staff receive appropriate training to teach the required content most effectively.

They should also ensure that the curriculum is consistently adapted where needed to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. ? The school's implementation of behaviour and attendance policies is in the early stages. As a result, there are some inconsistencies with how these are used.

This makes it difficult to review any patterns and check which groups of pupils need most support. This includes the rates of absence and persistence absence, which remain an area of focus. The school should continue to review the consistency and coherence of policies to identify any patterns and target support where it is most needed.