Kyson Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Kyson Primary School is an inclusive school, where pupils and staff maintain supportive and caring relationships.

Pupils are happy and enjoy their experiences here. The school has fostered the development of pupils through its motto of 'roots to grow and wings to fly'. Pupils enjoy coming together for assemblies.

Every week, they celebrate everyone's achievements using the school's '7C's,' which recognise pupils' uniqueness.

Pupils share positive attitudes to learning. The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement.

Pupils work hard to rise to these aspirations and achieve well in most subjects.

Pupils generally behave well and are... typically respectful of everyone. They move around the school calmly and are safe.

However, there are a few pupils who need reminders about the expectations staff have of them. Most pupils focus and concentrate in lessons. They contribute towards discussions and are keen to answer questions.

However, in some classes, pupils' learning is occasionally disrupted when pupils need reminding to focus on learning.

There are a variety of leadership opportunities for older pupils, for example as play leaders and subject ambassadors. These ambassadors have worked closely with the local community, for instance, in helping pupils develop their love of reading by working with a local bookshop.

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

The school has ensured there is an ambitious curriculum in place from the early years. Knowledge is developed over time so that pupils can build more complex understanding and vocabulary. Staff use a range of teaching approaches to help pupils remember this knowledge.

The school is working hard to improve pupils' writing skills and has made this a key focus. However, pupils do not yet get enough chances to practise and use their writing knowledge in all subjects across the curriculum. This limits their ability to show what they know and have learned through longer pieces of writing.

Pupils do not develop and improve their writing skills as well as they should while deepening their understanding of the interesting topics they study.

The teaching of reading is effective. Pupils learn to read well through a variety of well-structured approaches.

These approaches help pupils to develop their love of reading. All pupils benefit from reading and being read to regularly. They are highly motivated to read through their membership of 'Book Clubs'.

Teachers choose texts for these groups that broaden pupils' knowledge and vocabulary. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite books. Children in the early years get off to a good start with their reading.

They learn to read new sounds in a logical order. Teachers help them to practise and build on what they already know. They regularly check children's understanding.

Staff provide timely additional support for any pupils who need it. This helps pupils to keep up.Staff use their skills effectively to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff work well together to provide pupils with personalised support and ensure that specialist knowledge is shared. The school ensures that pupils with SEND get the right support from external agencies, where required. Staff have the resources to adapt learning effectively so that pupils with SEND access, and make progress across, the curriculum.

Recent updates to the behaviour policy have ensured that everyone has the same high expectations. Routines are well established for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. The school personalises its approach so that all pupils are ready to learn.

However, at times, in some classes, pupils can get distracted and do not focus on their learning. This is addressed by staff but means other pupils' learning is affected.

The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education helps pupils to understand that everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

The support that the school provides for pupils' personal development is strongly linked to the school's values. For example, pupils benefit from the trips and other enrichment activities on offer, which will give them the foundations for future life.

Governors are knowledgeable and are well equipped to ensure that the school provides the best possible education.

They have an accurate view of the school and hold leaders accountable for the quality of the school's provision.

Parents and carers and staff are extremely positive about the school and its community feel. Staff morale is high.

Staff appreciate and benefit from the school's strong professional development. They also value the way leaders support them to maintain a reasonable workload when making changes.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum does not ensure that some pupils who are at the early stages of writing have enough opportunities to practise and embed their writing skills across the curriculum. As a result, their writing development is slowed. The school should ensure that all pupils practise and develop their early writing skills across different subjects and can show their knowledge and vocabulary through their writing.

• The impact of low-level disruptive behaviour in some areas of the school is not always monitored consistently well. This means that leaders do not have a clear view of how well their strategies to improve conditions for learning for all pupils are working. The school should use the information it has about low-level disruptive behaviour to review and refine the effectiveness of its strategies to reduce further minor low-level disruption to learning.

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