Malmesbury Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

We spoke with lots of pupils who all said that they enjoy coming to school.

They said that they felt safe at school and that bullying hardly ever happens. When things do go wrong, the teachers 'jump on it' straight away. Pupils are friendly and polite to each other.

The school staff have a lot of trust in the pupils. They help them to manage their own behaviour. Pupils move around the school sensibly.

They go to their different lessons without fuss.

Every pupil in the school has a say in what happens. Each of them is a member of the school council.

They feel that staff listen to them. Pupils play their part in running the school too. They lo...ok after the garden and grow vegetables for the kitchen.

Year 6 pupils all have different responsibilities. For example, they carry out library duties and help younger pupils at playtimes.

Pupils know that there is someone to talk to if they need it.

They might go to 'Room 16' if they find the playground too noisy, for example. The school has specialist staff to help pupils with any social or emotional issues. There are strong relationships between pupils and staff.

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

Leaders, staff and governors have designed a curriculum which gives all pupils a well-rounded education. They want to give their pupils the best chance of a successful future. Pupils in all year groups learn a wide range of subjects and achieve well.

They benefit from specialist teachers in music, physical education, French and art. Pupils like their lessons in the dedicated computing suite and the well-resourced library. They remember lots of their science learning from the experiments they do.

Recently, leaders identified that too many pupils lacked ambition. The leadership team have started to address this. Pupils have visits from successful business people, sports stars and the local MP.

This helps pupils understand the importance of learning. Leaders also plan events which inspire pupils, such as a visit to the Bank of England and 'Enterprise Week'.

Reading has a high priority in the school.

Pupils want to read because they enjoy it. Leaders make sure that staff who deliver early reading follow the same approach. They identify pupils early on who are not keeping up or who struggle with reading.

Highly trained staff provide a programme of intensive and individual support. This builds pupils' confidence and gets them back on track.Mathematics is another strength of the school.

Pupils build up their knowledge and skills from the early years as they move up the school. Teachers plan well-structured lessons. Pupils often use 'learning walls' to remind them of what they did before and to help them with new learning.

Teachers take full responsibility for the progress their pupils make. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They receive good support.

Teaching assistants know pupils' needs well. They help pupils to work independently.History and geography lessons are not as well planned.

Leaders plan interesting units of work through topics which pupils enjoy. However, leaders have not thought enough about what they want pupils to know. Pupils often have little knowledge in these subjects.

Pupils find it difficult to remember the order of events in history. For example, Year 6 pupils were confused between events in both world wars.Pupils celebrate the diverse nature of the school.

They enjoy experiences such as International Day of Languages and visit different places of worship. Many pupils are in the choir. They perform in assemblies, in concerts and at a local old people's home.

Pupils do well in local sports competitions.The school is well led and managed. Governors are closely involved and oversee most aspects of the school well.

However, governors need to challenge school leaders more and hold them to account. They do not look carefully enough at how additional funding is used.In the early years, staff know what pupils need to learn so that they are ready for Year 1.

Staff make sure that children develop their communication skills well. They model language and teach key vocabulary. Staff have a good balance of activities.

They make sure that tasks are suited to each child's learning.Children start to learn to read as soon as they begin school. Teachers choose books which help children to practise the sounds they know.

Staff encourage children to be precise in their counting. The use of a bear puppet really helped them with this! Staffing in the school is very stable. Leaders are considerate of workload and well-being.

Staff were very positive about the support they get. One said: 'It's an extended family here.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know what action to take should any safeguarding issues arise. Leaders follow up any concerns swiftly and effectively. Their work with external partners is strong.

This leads to pupils and families getting the right support at the right time. All pre-recruitment checks have been carried out.

Parents and carers agree that their children are safe in school.

Pupils get advice about how to stay safe, including how to deal with cyber bullying and using public transport. They spoke positively about the physical and mental health support they get at school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In history and geography, the planning and sequencing of lessons is not as effective as in other areas of the curriculum.

Pupils do not have a good understanding of chronological events. They have limited knowledge in these subjects. Leaders need to decide what is the key content that pupils should learn in history and geography and ensure that this knowledge is embedded in pupils' long-term memory.

. The leadership team has been recently restructured. Senior leaders need to ensure that the high-quality leadership is shared across all subject areas.

Curriculum leaders should have sufficient time to monitor their subjects and carry out their roles effectively. . Governors need to have a more strategic role in the school.

Currently, their role is more operational. They should hold school leaders more rigorously to account. Governors need to have a better understanding of the difference additional funding is making to pupils' lives.

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