Mayespark Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of the Mayespark community. School life is underpinned by the core values of respect, determination, honesty, unity, love and politeness. Pupils relish the opportunity to become a 'values ambassador' through being a good role model of these values.

Pupils rise to the school's high expectations for their learning and behaviour. In lessons, they are focused and on task. They take their learning seriously and achieve well across the curriculum.

At break- and lunchtimes, they play happily, enjoying the range of activities available to them. Relationships between staff and pupils are based on mutual respect. Pupils trust adults to deal with any ...issues if these arise.

Pupils are safe in school and well cared for.

The school is committed to promoting the development of the whole child. Pupils have a wide range of opportunities that broaden their experiences.

They can attend a variety of after-school clubs, such as those for cookery, art or glow-football. They also have the opportunity to take on roles of responsibility, such as those of a school council member, a reading buddy or a young leader. Pupils are involved in regular fundraising events.

They also contribute to the local community through events such as singing in the local residential home for older people. Pupils have been involved in local campaigns to improve their community and have also taken part in a 'big educational conversation' project at the town hall.

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

The governing body, leaders at all levels and staff have an aligned vision to ensure excellence for all pupils.

This is driven by a reflective and open culture of continuous improvement. The school is always striving to improve further what is already in place. The governing body provides an effective balance of challenge and support to help the school develop further.

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The key knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn have been identified, and this subject content builds in logical steps over time. However, in some areas, the school's curriculum thinking does not have a consistent understanding of how early years forms the starting point for children's learning.

This means that the curriculum does not develop and extend pupils' understanding as well as it could. To address this, the school is developing expertise and experience in subject leadership.

In early years, children settle quickly as a result of clear and well-established expectations and routines.

There is a sharp focus on developing children's communication and language. The curriculum and the environment maximise learning opportunities for this, ensuring that children practise and deepen their understanding. This helps children to be prepared well for their future learning, irrespective of their starting points or additional needs.

The school prioritises teaching pupils to read. Daily story-time sessions, author visits, local library visits and weekly 'read with me' sessions for parents and carers all help to develop pupils' love of reading. Teaching pupils to read begins as soon as children start school.

Daily phonics sessions are delivered by well-trained and skilled adults. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds that they know. This helps pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

Pupils who are falling behind are quickly identified, and extra support is put in place. In the 'Arch', the school's additional resourced provision, pupils with SEND are also supported to become confident and fluent readers. However, sometimes, what is taught is not broken down into small enough chunks for these pupils to be able to learn and remember confidently.

Across the curriculum, teachers' subject knowledge is secure. Lessons are delivered in a way that ensures that pupils can understand new ideas. Pupils are also well supported to use subject-specific language.

Teachers check what pupils know in lessons, and misconceptions are mostly addressed as these arise. However, there are instances where teaching places insufficient emphasis on ensuring that pupils recap their prior learning and link it to what they are currently being taught. This reduces how well pupils are remembering what they are being taught in the long term.

Both in the Arch and across the school, pupils with SEND are supported by trained and skilled staff. Pupils' needs are quickly identified, and effective support is put in place. The school works closely with families and other professionals to ensure that pupils' needs are being met well.

Pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn. This is reflected in their daily attendance, which is a high priority for the school. The school has clear and robust systems in place to maximise pupils' attendance and punctuality.

The school's programme for pupils' personal development is designed with the aim of preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. Diversity is celebrated and valued. Pupils are taught that everyone has the right to be treated with respect.

Pupils are also taught how to keep safe when online. They learn how to recognise and manage their emotions and feelings. Pupils also experience important ideas that shape society.

For example, they find out about democracy through the school council election process.

Staff enjoy working here. They feel supported and that their workload is considered.

Staff value the professional development that they receive and how it equips them with the skills needed to fulfil their roles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leadership is new, with expertise and experience still being developed.

In some instances, this means that the school is in the process of working out how early years should provide the starting point for learning in different subjects. In other instances, it means that guidance for teachers on how to explicitly link pupils' previous learning with what comes next is also still being established. The school needs to continue to focus on strengthening subject leadership so that the curriculum thinking and its implementation match its vision for the quality of pupils' learning.

• Sometimes, for the weakest readers, including pupils with SEND, support for early reading is not as well targeted as it needs to be to meet pupils' needs. This means that these pupils can struggle to process and remember what they are expected to understand and practise. The school needs to make sure that, for these pupils, the early reading curriculum breaks down key knowledge into small enough chunks so that pupils can remember and apply what they have been taught.

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