Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is nurturing and welcoming.

It has cultivated an atmosphere where pupils are respectful and celebrate difference. Inclusivity is woven through school life. Pupils truly 'Grow together and prepare for life' as the school vision states.

This is demonstrated by the way different year groups play together. The broad personal development offer at the school means pupils feel ready for their next stage.

Children in the early years settle quickly.

Older pupils benefit from class charters that guide them to behave well. They do. The school's guinea pigs, 'Bubble' and 'Squeak', play a part in supporting pupils to be calm and caring.

Pupil...s take the role of looking after them seriously. Pupils are provided with effective pastoral support. This means they engage well in lessons.

The school has high expectations for all pupils. As a result, they have positive attitudes towards learning. Pupils take pride in all they do.

Pupils develop their confidence through leadership roles, such as being members of the school council. A sentiment of many pupils is that they feel their voices are heard and acted on. Pupils enjoy a variety of clubs, including woodwork, tinkering and kickboxing.

This helps to diversify pupils' interests.

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

The school has a clear vision for pupils to do well. Significant changes have been made to the curriculum in the last two years in an effort to realise this vision.

These changes have been carefully thought through. There is now a broad and balanced curriculum in place, starting in the early years. Consequently, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are building their knowledge well across a range of subjects.

In subjects such as mathematics, the school has decided on the most important knowledge pupils need to learn at each stage of their education. Staff encourage pupils to revisit the knowledge they have been taught. This helps pupils remember this knowledge and connect current learning to previous learning.

The school has been quick to review the way the curriculum is taught in the light of the weak outcomes some key stage 2 pupils achieved in mathematics in 2023. Because of this work, pupils know and understand more of what they are learning. However, in some wider curriculum subjects, the precise knowledge is not as clear.

Because of this, some pupils struggle to remember their learning long term in these subjects.

Children get off to a flying start in the early years, including when learning to read. Skilled staff teach engaging phonics sessions.

Regular assessment means any pupils who fall behind are given effective support to keep up. Pupils practise reading with books that contain the sounds they are secure in. Because of this, pupils become fluent readers.

Author visits and rewards for reading a million words are just some of the initiatives used to spark pupils' interest in reading.

Staff use a variety of strategies to help pupils learn the curriculum well. For example, the school has made the teaching of vocabulary a priority in lessons.

Children in early years engage in high-quality talk when talking about materials, using words such as 'waterproof' to describe them. In many subjects, learning is checked based on the key knowledge pupils need to acquire. In some subjects, however, assessment is not precise enough.

Consequently, some gaps are not identified, and some pupils do not build their knowledge well enough.

Pupils with SEND are well supported. These pupils are identified early.

A strength of the school is the training given to staff to enable them to support pupils with SEND effectively. For example, leaders have created subject-specific guidance to support different areas of need. As a result, these pupils learn the curriculum successfully.

The school ensures that pupils learn about the wider world. They develop an appreciation of the differences between people. For example, pupils know the protected characteristics well.

They can explain why people should be treated equally. Pupils are encouraged to develop spiritually through the school's 'windows, mirrors and doors' approach: windows to see new ways of looking at the world, mirrors to reflect on these and doors to live out those beliefs and values. Pupils treasure this time for reflection.

Respectful relationships exist between pupils and staff. Pupils know the school rules well. As a result, they are engaged in their learning.

Attendance is a high priority for leaders. Consequently, pupils attend well.

Governors hold the school to account effectively.

They are given the information they need to challenge leaders. Governors and school leaders have worked with determination in an effort to realise their vision to provide the best education they can for all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some wider curriculum subjects, the most important knowledge pupils need to learn is not always clear. This means some pupils struggle to remember their learning long term. The school should refine the subject knowledge it wants pupils to remember and decide on the small steps of learning to help secure this knowledge.

• In a minority of subjects, assessment of what pupils know and remember is not precise enough. As a result, gaps in knowledge are not always identified and addressed. The school should refine its approach to assessment to ensure that pupils are supported to overcome their misconceptions.

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