Maldon Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend a school that has been on a rapid and sustainable journey of improvement.

They are honest with their insights about this. Pupils recognise how leaders and staff have worked together to raise expectations about coming to school, behaving well and working hard. It means the school is now a place where pupils are happy and learning more to prepare them for the future.

Pupils can identify how behaviour keeps getting better. They are very enthused by the 'ticks and crosses' system, trying hard to build up their ticks for the positive recognition they receive. The simple phrases staff use, like 'marvellous manners' and 'wonderful walking', show in pupils' typi...cally polite and calm conduct around school.

Pupils benefit greatly from the assemblies and lessons that teach them how to stay safe. The details they remember is impressive, such as what the flag on a beach tells them about swimming in the water, or how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation to keep someone alive. In addition, pupils trust that sharing their worries with adults in school will result in the adults taking action to resolve issues.

This aspect of the school's work is exceptional and ensures that every pupil is kept safe.

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

New and existing leaders have galvanised school improvement. They worked strategically to ensure that the school as it was then is not the school as it is now.

Pupils, parents and staff recognise this. They are proud of what a happy, welcoming school it has become.

Leaders, including trust leaders and local governors, have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

They identify and iron out issues quickly. For example, leaders recognised that pupils' attendance and behaviour were not good enough. As a result, leaders introduced clear, robust systems for identifying and addressing attendance and behavioural concerns.

Because of this, more pupils now attend school regularly and behave well.

Leaders worked at pace to develop the curriculum. They elected to adopt high-quality schemes of work.

Doing so gave teachers access to training, plans, resources and assessment materials. They value these, along with the coaching provided by staff from the trust. This support has helped them to grow in confidence because they are clear about the content that pupils need to learn and how best to teach it.

Nevertheless, some pupils have gaps in the knowledge that should have been previously secured. This is because they did not experience the same ambitious curriculums before this school year. Consequently, some pupils struggle to explain, for example, the difference between countries and continents.

There are systems in place to address these gaps. Teachers highlight what pupils should know before teaching a new topic. However, the brief recapping is not enough to help some pupils to remember important concepts.

Leaders have introduced a rigorous phonics programme. They ensure that all staff access training and materials to teach the programme as intended. A leader provides coaching during lessons, correcting any shortfalls in staff's practice.

Consequently, pupils' achievement in phonics continues to improve. For older pupils, frequent reading comprehension lessons mean they retrieve information and define vocabulary with increasing confidence.

Leaders, including those from the trust, oversee strong systems for identifying and arranging support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In the main, the extra help ensures that pupils do well. However, for some pupils, particularly those with SEND, staff do not always notice and quickly put right the mistakes that pupils make. Some pupils, for example, struggle to form letters, but staff do not always explain clearly how they themselves form their letters to guide pupils to do this better.

Children get off to a solid start in the Reception Year. Leaders have worked carefully to pinpoint the 'core knowledge' children need to know ready for Year 1. For example, in Reception, children learn that seeds grow into plants.

Following this, in Year 1, they learn to identify the parts of a flowering plant. Arrangements for transition from pre-school or a child's home are well considered, quickly identifying those children who require support. Staff find innovative ways to instil the behaviours they wish to see.

For instance, they use dinosaur characters like the 'Tryatops' to teach children to try their best and not give up.

The personal development programme caters for pupils' needs well. There is a comprehensive mentoring programme for disadvantaged pupils.

This helps them to overcome obstacles that might hold them back. The school's work to support young carers is nationally recognised. This year, local governors sourced funding to reintroduce the Year 6 pupils' residential trip.

Pupils learned lots from being outdoors and completing teambuilding exercises. Trying new things and being independent set them up well for starting secondary school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established an exceptional culture of safeguarding. Their systems for safer recruitment are thorough and efficient. There is a comprehensive training programme for all.

Eagled-eyed staff spot, report and record their concerns about pupils without delay. Leaders' persistence to protect pupils is second to none. They maintain an in-depth understanding of how safeguarding partners function, using this to secure suitable support swiftly.

In addition, record-keeping clearly captures how leaders and staff leave no stone unturned to protect pupils.

Pupils are expert in how to keep themselves safe. This is due to the important content that is regularly revisited across a range of themes.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge that were acquired before the curriculum was improved. Although staff refer to concepts pupils should have learned previously, not enough explanation and revision is provided to ensure that pupils remember these. Leaders should train staff in how to support pupils effectively to learn key concepts they have missed out on.

• Some staff do not always adapt lessons to provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to learn and practise key skills. As a result, pupils' difficulties, principally with writing, take longer to resolve than they should. Leaders should ensure that staff have the skills they need to address pupils' barriers to learning efficiently and well.