North Worcester Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are friendly and happy in school. They enjoy learning and most attend regularly.

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils know that they can talk to a trusted adult if they are worried about anything.

The school has high expectations of pupils and wants the best for them.

This includes for pupils with complex additional needs. Staff work diligently to tailor support to ensure that all pupils achieve well. The vast majority do.

However, there are some aspects of the school where these high expectations and ambition are not yet realised in practice. The school has identified these areas and plans are in place to improve consis...tency and achieve the ambition set.

Many pupils in school behave well.

They know the difference between isolated unkind behaviour and bullying. They report that staff sort out any disagreements quickly. A minority of pupils struggle to manage their behaviour.

Adults support these pupils to minimise the impact on their learning and that of others.

As a new school, community links are still evolving. However, a mutual partnership already exists with the adjacent care home.

Pupils visit and entertain the residents, and residents reciprocate by hearing pupils read each week in school.

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

The school, in collaboration with the trust, has developed a coherent and well-sequenced curriculum. Pupils build their knowledge, skills and vocabulary in a logical order, from the early years through to Year 6.

From the outset, staff ensure the curriculum focuses on promoting children's language and communication skills, alongside their physical and social development. This helps prepare children well for Year 1 and beyond.

Teachers regularly check what pupils know and remember in all subjects.

They adapt their teaching where consolidation or further input is required. However, leadership in some subject areas and phases is still at an early stage of development. This means that some leaders do not have sufficient overview of what is working well and where improvements are needed.

The school ensures that reading is a key priority. High-quality displays help promote a love of reading. All classes have an hour of daily reading to practise and enhance the skills they learn.

Children in the early years are exposed to a wide range of stories and rhymes to provide an early introduction to literacy. They quickly learn their letters and sounds as staff are well trained in teaching the school's phonic programme. Teachers check pupils' progress in reading regularly and adjust pupil groups accordingly.

Where necessary, pupils are given extra help to catch up if they begin to fall behind their peers. The books that pupils read are well matched to their abilities.

There are successful systems in place to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The school provides helpful resources and accesses specialist support to meet individual needs. This includes access to play therapy and visits to the sensory room to help pupils regulate their emotions and behaviour. While much of the provision for pupils with SEND is effective, there are some instances where expectations of pupils with more complex needs in lessons are variable.

This is particularly for pupils who need more support in regulating their behaviour.

The early years curriculum provides a firm foundation for children to build their early essential knowledge and skills. Learning is active and fun, and children achieve well.

Staff plan exciting activities to foster children's curiosity, such as exploring natural environments through forest school. However, there is occasional variation in the quality of provision in this key stage.

Pupils learn about diversity, equality and British values through lessons and assemblies.

They demonstrate their understanding of these topics in their positive attitudes and actions. The school encourages pupils to take on additional areas of responsibility to develop early leadership skills and contribute to school life. For example, being part of the junior leadership team, eco committee or school council.

As the school grows, leaders are continuing to build an effective partnership with parents. Parents are invited to curriculum workshops and kept fully informed of school activities. They have positive views of the school.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about working at North Worcester Primary. They feel supported and valued. Those new to teaching appreciate the coaching and mentoring they receive to help develop their practice.

They feel well looked after and want to stay at the school.

The trust provides effective support and training for staff. It seeks the views of the local community through its advocate group and responds well to feedback provided.

Trustees have an accurate view of the school's current strengths and areas requiring further development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some leaders are new to their roles and do not yet have sufficient oversight of their area of responsibility.

This means they are unable to provide the support and challenge needed to ensure that all pupils, including children in the early years, make the progress they should. The school should ensure that all leaders have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to monitor and evaluate their areas of responsibility. ? The school's expectations of some pupils with SEND are too low, particularly for those who struggle to regulate their behaviour.

On occasion, a small number of pupils are allowed to regularly disengage from the lesson. This limits the progress they make. The school should ensure that all staff have the skills and expertise needed to adapt teaching successfully to meet the needs of these pupils so that they develop the resilience, perseverance and independence needed to achieve as well as they should.

• There are some minor inconsistencies in provision in the early years, including in curriculum implementation and expectations of behaviour. This means that some children do not get off to the strongest start possible. The school should ensure a consistency of approach in the early years through regular monitoring and evaluation.

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