Northowram Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's high expectations for pupils' academic and personal development make a real difference to the pupils at Northowram. As a result of high-quality provision and support, pupils are well prepared for their next steps in learning, including the move up to secondary school at the end of Year 6.

Pupils are happy to come to school.

They are keen to do well and enjoy their lessons. Relationships between pupils, and with adults, are positive. It is a school where people get along, both in lessons and when at play.

Pupils know that staff are always available to listen to any concerns they have. They are confident that any issues, including bullying on the r...are occasions it happens, will be sorted out quickly. Attendance is high.

Pupils achieve consistently well in national assessments. This is particularly the case in phonics and reading, where pupils achieve very highly as a result of high-quality provision. Pupils' achievement in subjects not assessed nationally, while strong, is not quite as high.

The support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is very effective. Staff know pupils well. They work proactively to ensure pupils with SEND get the right support at the right time.

Pupils with SEND achieve well in their learning and development.

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

Across all subjects, the school has worked out what pupils need to learn and when. The school has ensured that what children learn in the early years is well considered so they are well prepared for their future learning.

In each subject, the curriculum builds well on what pupils have been taught in previous year groups. The school's phonics programme is taught consistently. Pupils build fluency and accuracy in their reading.

Children are extremely well supported in the early years. They benefit from a highly effective curriculum that meets their needs. Staff know exactly when to step in and out of children's play.

The school promotes children's language and communication skills exceptionally well. As they move through the early years, children develop their vocabulary and articulate their thoughts and ideas with increasing confidence.

The school's outdoor learning programme is integrated carefully with what pupils learn across the curriculum.

This helps pupils develop their skills and knowledge in a range of ways, including outside in the school's grounds. For example, pupils learn to use a range of tools safely and productively during their outdoor sessions.

Teachers explain new ideas and concepts well.

They check pupils are learning the intended curriculum content. However, some teachers lack subject-specific knowledge in some parts of the curriculum. This makes it harder for them to identify and address pupils' misconceptions.

Rates of pupils' attendance are high. Overall, the school's systems are effective for checking and following up on any absences. However, the school's work to improve the attendance of the small number of pupils who are persistently absent from school has not been as effective as it could be.

Pupils' behaviour around the school is calm. They are explicitly taught how rules are needed to help keep each other safe. For example, children in early years talk about why they need to walk in corridors but how they can run around safely outside.

Pupils are taught the importance of having good manners and being kind to each other. They demonstrate this consistently across the school. A small number of pupils find meeting the school's behaviour expectations more challenging.

These pupils receive effective support to help them make better decisions.

Pupils benefit from a coherent personal, social and health education curriculum. This is delivered through lessons and assemblies and includes the use of a range of guest speakers.

Pupils get the chance to learn about a range of faiths and cultures. Staff make these opportunities meaningful, and pupils particularly benefit from learning about various celebrations throughout the year. Pupils demonstrate a good understanding of concepts such as democracy, racism and consent.

The school provides a range of clubs and activities which help to build pupils' interests and talents. Some of these activities are not available locally, so they become very popular. For example, pupils take part in 'funky fitness' and 'Christmas ceramics'.

The school makes sure pupils and their families get the help they need to join in with these activities.

The school takes staff well-being seriously. For example, changes to the curriculum are made in a way which pays careful attention to staff workload.

Staff appreciate these approaches and feel well supported by leaders' decisions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers' subject knowledge is less secure.

Occasionally, it leads to pupils' misconceptions being missed. The school should ensure staff have the training and support they need to develop their subject-specific knowledge across the curriculum. ? Attendance for a small number of pupils is too low.

The school's actions to address this have not been effective or timely. The school should redouble efforts with these families. It should evaluate carefully the actions take to improve the attendance of these pupils and adapt the approaches as necessary.

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