Little Eaton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Little Eaton Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy, friendly school where everyone is welcome. Pupils are well-mannered, courteous and respectful.

Lessons are calm and orderly. This helps pupils to concentrate on their learning. Parents and carers appreciate the strong sense of community the school promotes.

Pupils appreciate the way the school's 'PRIDE' values are celebrated in assemblies. They live out the school rules, recognising how these will help them in school and beyond. Pupils feel safe, knowing that any rare instances of bullying will be dealt with quickly.

They know that they can share thei...r worries and concerns with 'Safety Bear' and that these will be taken seriously by staff.

Pupils are excited by the wider opportunities they receive. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can take part in a variety of clubs, including sports, music and chess.

The youngest children merrily sing songs from their Nativity performance. Others learn to take risks in forest school.

Pupils like their teachers.

They appreciate the way adults in school help them when they find things tricky. However, some pupils have gaps in their understanding because leaders have not yet checked how well the curriculum is being delivered.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils in school.

They want them to have the best start to their education. They have carefully considered what they want pupils to learn. For example, in art and design, leaders link the artists pupils will study to the knowledge they will learn.

For example, in Year 2, pupils consider the work of L.S. Lowry as they develop their knowledge of drawing.

In a few subjects, leaders continue to refine and adapt the curriculum so the small steps of knowledge are clearly defined.

Teachers have received training to help them to understand how to deliver the school's curriculum. For example, leaders support staff in how to use equipment and visual images to develop pupils' mathematical understanding.

Occasionally, in lessons, teachers do not give sufficient priority to the key knowledge they are teaching. Some subject leaders do not have the expertise to make checks to ensure that the curriculum is being delivered as intended. This hinders pupils from making meaningful links in their understanding.

Teachers use regular 'flashbacks' to help pupils remember their previous learning. They encourage pupils to use accurate vocabulary in their explanations. In English and mathematics, teachers make accurate checks on what pupils know and can remember in the curriculum.

This is not reflected in other subjects. Leaders have not developed effective approaches to checking what pupils have learned in the wider curriculum. This means teachers cannot make accurate checks on what pupils know and remember.

Leaders are determined that pupils with SEND will receive the same curriculum as their peers. Staff provide pupils with additional equipment and support to ensure that any barriers to learning are removed.

Leaders have recently adopted a new early reading programme.

All staff have received training to help them understand how to deliver it. Pupils receive reading books that are well matched to their reading development. Pupils enjoy reading.

They share many books, including those written by authors who visit the school.

Children in the early years develop their social skills well. Caring and supportive relationships are established with children and their families.

Children use their understanding of writing and mathematics through their play. For example, some children make bus tickets, carefully counting the number of passengers, as part of their role play. Teachers continue to develop the learning environment to enable children to use their ideas and solve problems.

The 'positive play' room is used to support pupils' well-being. Pupils know this is a safe place where they can talk to adults about their worries and concerns. Adults help pupils to understand their emotions through the 'zones of regulation'.

Staff skilfully support pupils with specific behavioural needs.

Pupils recognise that everyone is different, but all equal. They understand how rules and laws keep us safe.

Pupils know that everyone has rights, including children. Leaders ensure that pupils have opportunities to learn about different groups in society.

Governors want the best for all pupils in school.

They ensure they check on the information they receive from leaders. Staff appreciate the way leaders manage their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff understand the school's safeguarding procedures. They pass on all concerns about pupils' welfare promptly, no matter how small. Leaders ensure that they know their families and community well.

They work with other agencies to ensure that the right support is in place for pupils. Leaders carry out the essential recruitment checks for adults who work in the school.

Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

They understand how to stay safe online and understand how to report any concerns they may have.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leaders do not have the expertise to make checks on their area of responsibility. They do not know what is working well and what needs to be developed.

This hinders pupils' ability to learn the curriculum in a coherent and meaningful way. Leaders must ensure all subject leaders have the knowledge and expertise to check that the curriculum is delivered as intended so that pupils know and remember more of a subject. ? Assessment in the foundation subjects is in its infancy.

This does not help teachers to accurately check what pupils know or identify the gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders should develop assessment systems for all subjects so teachers can make checks on how well the school's curriculum is being remembered by pupils.

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 June 2013.