Magdalen Gates Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The headteacher's determined leadership and relentless focus on improving teaching and the way subjects are taught has increased pupils' rate of learning and raised standards.

The effective governing body and all staff share the headteacher's ambitions for pupils' success. The headteacher makes sure that her senior leaders have excellent opportunities to develop their leadership skills. Consequently, the senior team has a precise understanding of how well the school is doing, what needs to improve next and how to do this.

All groups of pupils achieve well because : teachers plan suitable work for them. More-able pupils receive a high lev...el of challenge in lessons. Pupils who find learning difficult have carefully organised support.

Teaching is increasingly of a high quality particularly in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. Teachers' outstanding marking help pupils know exactly how well they have done and what they can do to improve. Subjects are linked imaginatively so that interesting and enjoyable lessons promote pupils' enthusiasm for learning.

Pupils work very sensibly together which contributes to their good and often outstanding learning. The promotion of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Relationships between adults and pupils are outstanding.

The school is a happy and welcoming community. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves safe. It is not yet an outstanding school because : In a small number of lessons, teachers do not make clear to pupils what they are expected to learn in the lesson and how much time they have to do this.

Pupils who struggle with reading do not always have enough opportunities to practise using letter sounds to help them read or have enough guidance on their choice of reading book.

Information about this school

This is a little smaller-than-average sized school. It serves the local community.

There are six single-age classes plus a class for the Reception children. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is high. This extra funding is for looked-after children and those known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is broadly average with an average proportion who speak English as an additional language.

Many arrive at the school speaking no English. Since the previous inspection, there has been a change of half of the teaching staff, including teachers who are newly qualified and others who are at the early stages of their teaching careers. The school has a high number of pupils, just over a quarter, joining and leaving the school part way through their education.

The school meets the government's current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. There is a daily breakfast and after-school club during term time and a holiday club. These are managed by the governing body.