Mendip Green Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is an aspiring atmosphere at Mendip Green Primary School.

It is calm and welcoming. Pupils enjoy each other's company and build trusted relationships with adults. Pupils feel safe and happy at school.

Leaders and staff have consistently high expectations for all pupils and are effective role models. Pupils respect staff and understand routines. They are polite and respectful to others.

They behave well at breaktime and lunchtime. Pupils say that bullying is not a concern. If it were to happen, they are confident that staff would sort it out quickly.

As a result, pupils are motivated to learn well academically and socially.

Leaders prov...ide strong pastoral care for all pupils, including those with additional needs. Pupils know if they have a problem they can talk to a trusted adult.

Pupils have a range of opportunities to develop interests outside the classroom. For example, they take part in Friday clubs, such as sports, animation and art. Pupils are proud to become school and eco councillors and librarians.

They enjoy leadership responsibilities. Pupils are encouraged to have ambitious goals for the future.

Many parents appreciate the commitment staff provide.

One parent said, 'This is a happy, caring school with a strong ethos on learning.'

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

An ambitious, well-planned curriculum is in place in most subjects. The sequences of learning that build knowledge over time are well thought through.

This helps pupils develop their learning over time.

The curriculum is designed to help pupils build on what they have already learned. For example, in mathematics, children in the early years count cubes in frames.

They match them to corresponding numbers, using vocabulary such as 'greater' and 'fewer than'. Older pupils use their knowledge of place value to solve problems and reason. Pupils enjoy the learning experiences the school offers.

Across most subjects in the wider curriculum, for example in history and geography, teachers present subject matter well and so pupils remember the detail of what they have learned. However, in a minority of subjects, the curriculum does not make it clear what pupils need to know and need to learn next. When this happens, pupils do not deepen their understanding well enough.

In a few subjects, leaders are not sufficiently aware of how well pupils have understood what they have been taught.

Leaders prioritise reading. They are ambitious for pupils to love reading.

In early years children join in with rhymes, songs and stories. They start regular phonics and reading lessons soon after they start school. Books match the sounds pupils' know.

If pupils fall behind, staff act quickly to give them expert support. Pupils enjoy listening to stories adults read to them, such as 'Wolf Brother'. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about the books they read for pleasure.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), develop their language and vocabulary skills well. This helps them to become confident and fluent readers.

Pupils with SEND are included fully in the school curriculum and their individual needs are effectively met.

Where appropriate, children receive further tailored support to enable them to learn with success and confidence across the curriculum. Pupils with SEND and those in the Language and Resource Base and the Autism Spectrum Disorder Hub, benefit from effective support. Leaders evaluate the effectiveness of this provision to know what is working well.

Pupils are polite and considerate towards each other and their teachers. Their good conduct helps learning to go on without interruption. Leaders keep a close eye on pupils' attendance.

This includes pupils who miss school on a regular basis. The rate of absence of some pupils remains too high. Leaders are taking action to promote regular attendance.

Nevertheless, they have further work to do to improve attendance rates for pupils.

The curriculum that promotes pupils' personal development is well thought out. Through the curriculum, pupils, including those with SEND, understand what makes a healthy lifestyle and positive relationship.

They learn about other families, faiths and cultures. Pupils have confidence to challenge discrimination. They respect and appreciate difference in the world.

Many have an appropriate understanding of the importance of consent. Pupils told us that the school 'encourages you to follow your dreams'.

The trust and governors have a clear, realistic vision for the school's future.

Governors are well informed about leaders' actions. They are developing their understanding of what the school does well and what it needs to do next. Staff are positive about the support leaders provide.

They are proud to be part of the team. Staff appreciate how leaders consider their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure staff are alert to the signs that a child may be at risk. All understand their role in keeping children safe. They take part in regular training to help recognise pupils at risk of harm.

Staff are vigilant. Record-keeping is thorough and appropriate.

Leaders work swiftly with agencies when pupils and families need help.

They make frequent checks on the welfare of pupils. Systems to record the suitability of staff to work with pupils are robust.

The curriculum provides ways for pupils to learn how to stay safe, including online safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not consistently implemented across a few subjects in the foundation curriculum. Teachers do not always make clear what pupils need to learn to deepen their knowledge well over time. Leaders should continue to support teachers in their delivery of the curriculum so that pupils know and remember more.

• In a few foundation subjects, leaders do not understand how well their subjects are implemented over time. As a result, they have a limited understanding of what pupils should know and what they need to learn next. Subject leaders should check the understanding pupils have in their subjects, to assure themselves of the quality of education provided.