Morecambe and Heysham Sandylands Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Morecambe and Heysham Sandylands Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enter this welcoming school with a buzz of excitement. They are greeted warmly each day by school staff.

Pupils feel cared for. They are proud of their school.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across a range of subjects, reflecting leaders' carefully considered aspirations.

Pupils are polite and well mannered. Classrooms are calm and orderly. This allows pupils to concentrate and do their best in lessons.

This is because staff have high expectations for pupils'... behaviour. They place a strong emphasis on respect.

Pupils are fully aware of rules, rewards and sanctions.

Staff act quickly to resolve any instances of bullying. Pupils feel safe and share warm relationships with staff. They understand that adults will support them if they are anxious or worried.

Pupils have access to an extensive range of activities and opportunities that help them to develop into extremely inquisitive learners. Pupils develop self-esteem and confidence. This is because leaders help pupils to look after their mental health and well-being.

Pupils take an active role in decision-making within the school through their roles in the pupil parliament and as reading ambassadors. Pupils say that these responsibilities help them to prepare for the future.

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

Leaders, governors and staff share a common purpose.

They want all pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve to their best. Working together, they have designed a challenging curriculum that meets the needs of different pupils. The curriculum develops and deepens pupils' knowledge and skills across a wide range of subjects.

Subject leaders have identified the key pieces of knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Learning builds on what pupils already know and understand in well-ordered steps as they move through the school from the early years to Year 6. Pupils make strong connections in their learning between different subjects.

This helps pupils to remember the curriculum.

In lessons, teachers explain new learning clearly. They have strong subject knowledge.

They use their expertise to help pupils to learn and remember important knowledge and vocabulary. There are many opportunities for pupils to practise what they already know before they learn new things. This deepens learning.

Teachers use assessment strategies well to check that pupils have understood what is being taught. These strategies provide teachers with useful information to identify which pupils may need the delivery of the curriculum adapting so that they can learn more successfully.

Staff are skilled in identifying pupils with SEND quickly and effectively.

They work closely with parents. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders draw on the wealth of staff expertise and liaise with external agencies, when necessary, to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support that they need to learn successfully.

A love of reading is woven throughout the school. Older and younger pupils alike relish story time with their teachers. They become absorbed in the high-quality texts that leaders have chosen for pupils to study.

Older pupils talked enthusiastically about a variety of different books and authors that they have learned about. Pupils understand the importance of reading to develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Children in early years quickly learn the sounds that letters represent.

As pupils begin to read independently, staff ensure that their reading books are closely matched to the letter sounds that pupils are learning in class. This helps the vast majority of pupils to become fluent readers by the end of key stage 1. Staff have been trained to deliver the phonics curriculum well.

If pupils fall behind, staff provide effective support to enable them to catch up.

Children settle quickly into the two-year-old provision and the Nursery. Teachers use every opportunity to ensure that children learn rhymes, songs, stories and number facts.

Children have many opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas. Children play and learn together happily.

Leaders provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to develop personally.

For example, pupils benefit from a range of trips, after-school clubs and visiting speakers to enrich their learning. Through their links with the local university, pupils take part in special events and learn about possible careers for the future. They speak enthusiastically about these opportunities.

Pupils behave well in lessons. They are focused and work hard. When there is any low-level disruption, this is well managed by staff and little learning time is lost.

Pupils listen to their teachers and show respect towards each other. Leaders create a positive culture where pupils thrive.Many pupils attend school every day.

However, a small number of pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This means that some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge and understanding due to missing out on important learning.

Governors are proud to be part of the school and understand their roles and responsibilities.

They successfully challenge leaders to develop the curriculum and to improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

Staff are proud to work at the school. They find leaders supportive and approachable with regard to their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously.

Staff are well trained and have a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know how to record and report any safeguarding concerns swiftly. Leaders take timely and appropriate action in response to any concerns raised.

The safeguarding team works effectively to support families and pupils who need help. Partnership work with professionals from outside agencies is strong.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

This includes teaching pupils about road safety and how to keep themselves safe when online. Pupils learn the importance of not disclosing personal information or speaking to strangers when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A small number of pupils are persistently absent.

These pupils miss important learning and wider opportunities. Leaders should ensure that these pupils and their families receive the support that they need to improve their attendance.Background

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

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in 26 and 27 March 2012.