Middleton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Middleton Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of all pupils. Pupils rise to these and thrive.

They demonstrate positive attitudes and high levels of motivation towards their learning. Leaders work tirelessly to support all pupils, to access the whole curriculum. This means that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn exceptionally well.

Pupils are happy and feel safe. They know that staff care for them and want them to achieve highly. Pupils are kind and helpful to each other.

They show high levels of respect towards each other and... the adults within the school. Leaders and pupils do not tolerate bullying and incidents of bullying rarely occur.

Pupils' behaviour is exceptional.

Leaders have established strong systems to promote positive behaviour throughout the school. Pupils are focused, engaged and enthusiastic in lessons. They work well together.

Playtimes and lunchtimes are happy and harmonious. The pupils enjoy numerous engaging activities and play well together.

Parents and carers, pupils and staff are extremely positive about the school.

Parents recognise the many strengths of the school and one, whose comment was representative of many, stated that the school is 'joyful'.

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

Leaders have established a highly ambitious curriculum. They have identified the important knowledge that all pupils must learn.

This builds in a clear sequence all the way from the start of Reception to the end of Year 6. Leaders have ensured systematic opportunities for pupils to review and revisit their learning over time. This supports all pupils to develop a deep and detailed understanding across the whole curriculum.

Teachers have very strong subject knowledge. They present new information to pupils clearly and check their understanding frequently. This ensures that they identify pupils' misconceptions promptly and address them swiftly.

Teachers give well-structured feedback to pupils. This strengthens pupils' understanding and enables them to achieve highly. Teachers identify pupils with SEND quickly and accurately.

They ensure that appropriate support is provided. They make careful and effective adaptations to the curriculum when necessary to ensure that pupils with SEND also achieve exceptionally well.

Leaders prioritise reading.

They are highly ambitious for all children to learn to read right from the start of Reception. Leaders have ensured that pupils learn phonics using a highly effective, well-structured approach. Adult support is used well to ensure that those who are struggling to learn to read get the help they need quickly.

This means that all pupils learn to read fluently by the end of Year 1. Leaders' ambition is for all pupils to love reading. The library and reading areas around the school create an enticing environment for pupils.

Pupils enjoy reading rich and diverse texts for pleasure and as part of the reading curriculum.

Provision for children in the early years is exceptional. Leaders ensure that children get off to a strong start with their learning.

Children are motivated to learn. They enjoy stimulating and well-planned activities both in the indoor and outdoor learning environments. All children, including children with SEND, join in at all times with enthusiasm and achieve highly.

Leaders' work to develop pupils' character is a strength of the school. Leaders are driven by a determination for all pupils to be prepared fully for their future. Character education is fully interwoven into the school's curriculum.

It supports pupils' development of high-quality, positive learning behaviours. Pupils are encouraged to develop social responsibility and to support their local community. For example, in Year 6, pupils raise money for their local hospice.

This year, they made Christmas decorations to brighten up the festive season for the residents. All pupils have many opportunities to apply to be leaders in the school, such as school council representatives and playground buddies.

Leaders ensure that they develop pupils' varied talents and interests.

They provide an extensive range of experiences to enrich and enhance the curriculum, ranging from watching a professional sports team to attending the theatre. Extra-curricular activities are numerous. These have been planned to recognise and support the many cultures and interests within the school.

All leaders, including those responsible for governance, know the school well. They work well together to ensure a high-quality education for all pupils. Staff are highly positive about working in the school and say that they are supported well by leaders to do their very best for all pupils at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured that a strong safeguarding culture exists within the school. Adults are extremely well trained and are vigilant.

They report any concerns they may have immediately. Leaders check records and follow up on all concerns. They work with a range of external agencies to get pupils and their families the help they need.

Leaders are timely and persistent in securing this help.

Pupils learn how to keep safe. They understand the need to speak to an adult if they have any worries.

Leaders, including governors, oversee the recruitment of staff and volunteers. They ensure that adults in school are safe to be there.

Background

When we have judged a school outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged Middleton Primary School to be outstanding in June 2017.