Murrow Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, safe and enjoy coming to school. They develop warm respectful relationships with adults.

Together they ensure that the school, affectionately known as 'team Murrow', is a harmonious and happy place to learn. Throughout the day, pupils take turns, listen to each other and are always looking for ways to help each other.

Pupils rise to their teachers' high expectations.

Pupils behave well around the school and in lessons. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that staff deal with any instances of bullying straight away and it stops.

Pupils feel safe and cared for by staff. One pupil's comment that, 'Every teacher helps to keep us safe..., and they are really nice' was typical of the view of many others. Pippin, the school dog, is a very popular member of the team.

Pupils enjoy learning. They talk with enthusiasm about the new things they study. In lessons they focus closely on what they are learning.

They read widely and talk about books enthusiastically. They enjoy the extra-curricular activities, trips and the many opportunities they have to take responsibility in the school.

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

Leaders have ensured that pupils from Reception through to Year 6 follow a carefully crafted and ambitious curriculum.

Leaders have thought about what pupils need to know and be able to do over time.

Reading is taught well. From the start of Reception, pupils gain confidence to recognise single sounds and common words.

Skilled adults support pupils to practise and improve their reading. Many pupils are reading fluently by the end of Year 2. Older pupils enjoy reading and read a wide variety of authors and genres.

Teachers introduce vocabulary clearly in lessons. This helps older pupils to better understand what they are reading. They become confident to read more challenging books.

However, a few pupils who are not yet fluent readers are not provided with books that are carefully matched to sounds they are learning.

Teachers have a detailed knowledge of most subjects and how to teach them. They introduce pupils to new information, including subject-specific words, in small, manageable steps.

Teachers check pupils' understanding carefully. Teachers also provide pupils with many opportunities to revisit what they have studied in the past. Pupils remember what they have been taught.

They produce good quality work.

Staff are creative in using well-chosen resources to make learning interesting for pupils. In Reception, children use natural materials to compare and order numbers and shapes when learning outdoors.

They respond enthusiastically to the weekly challenges that their teachers set.In a few subjects, leaders have not completed their development of the curriculum. Where this is the case, teachers do not adapt and deliver the learning as effectively as they do in most subjects.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their classmates. Adults support them effectively to be increasingly independent in their learning. This helps pupils with SEND to be ready for secondary school.

Pupils behave well. They are attentive in lessons. Pupils understand and value the school rules.

From the start of Reception, pupils learn to take turns and share. They understand that reflecting on their behaviour helps them to make good choices. Well-attended clubs in the morning help to get the day off to a good start for many pupils.

Leaders have provided many opportunities for pupils to aim high and be ready for their next steps after Murrow. Pupils develop their confidence and resilience through outdoor learning. They learn about responsibility by taking on leadership roles such as play leaders and physical education (PE) ambassadors.

Pupils get the chance to develop their talents in the many clubs, such as curling. Leaders make sure pupils learn about different religions and ways of life. Pupils understand the importance of equality.

They learn to respect people from different backgrounds.

Staff feel supported and valued by school leaders and each other. Governors are considerate of staff well-being.

They ensure leaders have the time and support they need to sustain and improve the quality of education. Training, by trust leaders and other providers, helps staff to be knowledgeable and effective in their work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe at this school. They know there are adults they can speak with if they are worried about something.

Leaders, including governors, recognise the importance of safeguarding.

They take necessary steps to ensure that pupils are safe. Leaders and staff receive regular safeguarding training. Staff understand the processes to keep pupils safe at school.

When a concern is raised about a pupil's welfare, leaders ensure that important information is carefully recorded. Leaders take appropriate action, including working with external agencies, to get vulnerable pupils the support they need.

Minor administrative errors found by inspectors with record-keeping were resolved by leaders.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not ensured that, for a few pupils, books are closely matched to their emerging phonic knowledge. This means that these pupils sometimes struggle to rapidly develop their reading skills. Leaders should accelerate their work to ensure that books are well matched to each pupil's phonic knowledge so that pupils can become fluent readers.

• In a few subjects, leaders have not made clear what pupils should learn. This means that teachers are dependent on further support and clarification from subject leaders and are not as confident when teaching these subjects. Leaders must give staff training and guidance to deliver all subjects equally well.

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