Millbrook Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this popular and rapidly growing school. The school has high expectations for pupils' academic success.

It fosters pupils' curiosity and concentration effectively from a young age. As a result, pupils generally achieve well in many subjects.Children in early years settle in right from the start.

Staff ensure that children are ready for learning in Year 1 and beyond.

There is a strong sense of community, where pupils feel that they belong. The school has a consistent approach to managing pupils' behaviour.

Pupils know where the boundaries are. As a result, they are respectful and sensitive to each other's needs. Staff provide ef...fective support for pupils' mental health and well-being.

This helps pupils to become confident and successful learners.

Pupils make a positive contribution to the life of the school. For example, older pupils act as role models to younger ones.

They help those who are new in school to feel happy and settled. Pupils take a full part in school life and they work hard supporting local and national charities.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from a wide variety of clubs and trips, which broaden their experiences.

These include residential visits and clubs, such as sports and arts.

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

The school has designed an ambitious, high-quality curriculum, which is enhanced with rich, well-planned experiences. These enrichment opportunities ignite pupils' interests and broaden their aspirations and horizons.

From the Nursery provision through to Year 6, pupils, including those with SEND, attain high standards.

Staff are well trained to support children in their learning. For example, in the early years, staff use interactions well to further children's speech, language and physical development.

This is helping to develop children's communication and early writing skills more effectively.

In most subjects, pupils build up secure knowledge and skills as they progress through the curriculum. Subject content is broken down into small steps of learning.

However, in a few subjects, the school has not identified the knowledge that pupils need to remember over time in sufficient detail. This makes it difficult for teachers to check how well pupils have secured the knowledge necessary for future learning. This affects how well some pupils learn in these subjects.

The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND accurately and quickly. Staff are well trained to meet the needs of these pupils so that they learn the same content as their peers. As a result, pupils with SEND feel well supported and generally achieve well.

The school has prioritised the teaching of reading. Staff benefit from regular, specific training to support children's ability to recognise and read sounds in the early years. This precise training ensures that the approach to the teaching of phonics is consistent and effective.

By the end of key stage 1, most pupils, including those with SEND, become fluent readers. Weaker readers are well supported so that they achieve well over time.Older pupils demonstrate a love of reading.

They use an increasing range of vocabulary across the curriculum. Pupils spoke positively about their favourite books and authors. They enjoy using the well-resourced school library.

Pupils behave well in lessons and stay focused on their learning. Outside of lessons, pupils demonstrate good manners and show respect towards staff, visitors and each other.The school has rightly prioritised high expectations of pupils' attendance and punctuality.

It works closely with parents and carers to overcome any barriers that may prevent pupils from attending school as often as they should. As a result, pupils' attendance is improving over time.

The school ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Pupils are taught that all people are equal. They have a secure understanding of different cultures in the world and how to avoid stereotypes. The school offers various educational trips to different areas of the country and residential visits.

Pupils enjoy taking on additional leadership responsibilities, such as being in the school council and becoming a playleader to support younger pupils. This sets them up well for the next stage of their education.

Governors provide effective support and challenge to the school to continually improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

This is especially important in the light of the current and future rapid expansion of the school to accommodate a significant rise in pupil numbers.

Governors carefully consider staff's work-life balance when making decisions about the school. As a result, staff say that they feel better equipped to design and assess pupils' learning.

Staff value this support and feel very proud to work at the school. Parents are right to speak highly of the school and what it offers to pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not defined the essential knowledge that pupils should learn clearly enough. This hinders teachers from ensuring that pupils remember what they need in order to progress well. The school should ensure that, in these subjects, teachers are clear about the key knowledge that pupils should secure in readiness for future learning.

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