Minerva Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of their school. They have positive attitudes toward learning.

Staff give pupils the confidence to not give up when they find learning tricky. Pupils' resilience is developing well.

The school values courage, compassion and collaboration.

Pupils remember and understand these values. Pupils believe that everyone should be treated fairly. They say they feel safe in school.

There is always an adult to talk with if they have worries.

Parents and carers say their children are happy and enjoy going to school. Pupils attend school regularly.

They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Pupil...s enjoy taking part in the daily mile. They like the wide range of after-school clubs on offer, such as netball, chess and tag-rugby.

Years 5 and 6 pupils value the opportunity to take on roles of responsibility. For example, pupils are lunchtime monitors, school councillors and science ambassadors.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils' learning.

Nonetheless, leaders' ambitions are not fully actioned across all subjects. Pupils have gaps in their wider curriculum subject knowledge. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not achieve as well as they could.

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

Leaders have developed a clearly sequenced curriculum in English and mathematics from Nursery Year through to Year 6. They have identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to know and remember.

Children are introduced to a variety of high-quality texts from the moment they join the school.

Staff select books to match learning activities effectively. For example, children in Nursery Year listen to and recreate 'The Train Ride' in their play.

Staff implement the phonics programme well.

Pupils' phonic knowledge is secure. For example, pupils can correctly identify, say and write the letter sounds. Reading books match pupils' phonic knowledge well.

Pupils segment and blend words with increasing confidence and accuracy. Pupils who need additional support to develop their reading fluency and comprehension are quickly spotted. A 'bridging' group gives pupils extra practice to build these skills well.

This is not the case for all subject areas. Subject leadership is not well developed in the wider curriculum. As a result, some curriculum content is not clearly identified or structured in clear, achievable steps.

Where content is not clear, teachers do not know what essential knowledge should be taught. As a result, some learning activities are not suitable. For example, pupils in Year 1 are introduced to compass points before some secure their vocabulary and knowledge of position and direction.

These activities do not enable pupils to achieve the intended learning outcome. Pupils do not know more and remember more over time.

In the core subjects, teachers quickly spot when pupils need additional help.

Pupils get the support they need through regular phonics practice and 'maths on track' sessions. This helps them to secure their knowledge. However, leaders do not know where pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some wider curriculum subjects.

In the early years, staff do not consider children's starting points when planning learning. As a result, gaps in knowledge and misconceptions increase over time.

Most pupils with SEND have individual targets that reflect their needs.

Nevertheless, some targets are not precise. As a result, teaching and resources are not adapted effectively to meet the needs of those pupils. When this occurs, some pupils with SEND are not supported sufficiently well.

Staff have consistently high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils move around the school in a calm and orderly way. Some pupils need extra help to learn how to understand and manage their feelings.

Staff are quick to spot pupils who need additional support. These pupils work with staff in the school's nurture provision, The Roost. This leads to productive learning in class and enjoyable playtimes.

Leaders prioritise pupils' well-being and personal development. They plan opportunities carefully to help pupils develop skills for life. For example, the weekly sports activities build pupils' understanding of fair play and sharing.

Pupils use the school's values to make the right choices in life. They understand the importance of democracy and respect. Pupils know about different cultures and religions from across the world.

They are developing their knowledge and experience of life in modern Britain.

Leaders' work 'beyond the school gates', with families and the local community is a strength of the school. For example, their work with families has successfully improved pupils' attendance.

Years 3 and 4 pupils learn to be 'mini police' with members of the local police force. Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe.

Leaders, including trustees, know the school's strengths and areas for improvement.

They welcome advice and support from appropriate external agencies to develop their effectiveness as strategic leaders. They are considerate of staff's well-being. Staff feel valued and appreciated.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The appropriate checks are carried out before staff and volunteers begin working at the school. Trustees regularly monitor these safeguarding records.

Staff and volunteers receive appropriate safeguarding training and updates. This helps them to understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities well.Leaders are tenacious in their pursuit of support for the school's most vulnerable pupils.

They escalate concerns should they be unhappy with the response from an external service.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online, at home and in the local community. They say they feel safe in school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The essential knowledge leaders want pupils to know and remember in some foundation subjects has not been identified. Consequently, teachers do not plan learning that helps pupils to secure and build their knowledge of important concepts over time. Leaders need to identify this essential knowledge in some foundation subjects.

• Some pupils with SEND do not have helpful information and precise targets in their individual education plans. This means staff are not able to plan and resource the provision to meet pupils' needs accurately. Leaders need to ensure that targets for pupils with SEND are precise and provision is consistently matched to their needs.

• The role of the subject leader is not sufficiently well developed. They do not have the knowledge and skills required to raise the standards of education across all subjects. Leaders need to ensure subject leaders support teachers to improve their subject knowledge and select appropriate learning activities across all subject areas.