Orgill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Orgill Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to belong to the Orgill family. From the moment they arrive in school, they are keen to get on with all that the day has in store. Pupils feel safe in school.

They told the inspector that if they have any concerns, staff will listen to them and make everything better.

Pupils know that staff care deeply about their well-being and will notice when things are not quite right. Pupils said that bullying of any sort is not acceptable.

If bullying does happen, leaders quickly sort it out and make it stop.

Leaders and teachers want the best for p...upils. They expect pupils to be kind, show respect to each other and work hard.

Pupils strive to go above and beyond these high expectations. They wear their 'over and above' lanyards with great pride. Pupils behave well.

They grow in confidence and blossom as they move through the school.

Pupils benefit from a variety of additional activities and clubs that enrich their learning across the ambitious curriculum. Pupils were keen to talk about their musical performances, trips to the forest and a recent visit to the theatre.

Older pupils are self-assured and ready for the next stage of their education.

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

Governors, leaders and staff share a common vision for Orgill Primary School. They want every pupil, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to thrive academically and personally.

To achieve this, leaders have designed a well-organised curriculum that is firmly rooted in the expectations of the national curriculum.

In all subjects, leaders have identified the most important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. They have set out clearly the order that they want pupils to learn it in.

This means that pupils in all year groups, including children in the early years, are building on what they already know. For example, in mathematics, older pupils used their knowledge of simplifying fractions when being introduced to ratios. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge, and they deliver curriculums well. They check on pupils' understanding of curriculum content and correct any confused thinking. Teachers use this information effectively when deciding whether to revisit learning or move on to more complex content.

In most subjects, leaders check regularly how the curriculum is being delivered and how well pupils are learning and remembering important knowledge. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders are not as assured that the curriculum is helping pupils to gain the knowledge that they need. In these subjects, leaders are not clear if teachers make the best use of assessment information and that pupils achieve as well as they should.

Many children join the early years when they are two years old. They settle quickly into school routines. Children in the Reception class have regular reading and mathematics lessons.

Through carefully structured activities, pupils are gaining the knowledge and vocabulary that they will need to continue their learning in Year 1.

Teachers and support staff are experts at teaching reading because they are trained well by leaders. A well-structured programme sets out the order of phonics learning.

Children in the early years learn their letters and sounds quickly. Staff in Year 1 and Year 2 build on this strong start. Few pupils fall behind because teachers regularly check the progress that pupils are making.

If pupils do fall behind, staff provide additional support so that pupils can catch up quickly. Teachers ensure that the books pupils read are matched appropriately to the sounds that they know. Parents and carers are highly positive about the strong start that their children make in learning to read.

Older pupils follow a well-structured programme to develop their vocabulary and comprehension. They are eager readers. Pupils talked confidently and excitedly about the stories that they enjoy and the wide range of authors that they have read.

Across the school, there is a buzz about books.

Children in the early years learn quickly how to concentrate and listen attentively. Older pupils build well on these skills.

They continue to develop positive attitudes that help them to learn effectively. Everyone behaves well. Learning is free from disruption.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND. Teachers are skilled in identifying the precise needs of this group of pupils and what help they need to keep up with their learning. Pupils with SEND learn alongside their friends in the classroom.

They learn the same curriculum as everyone else. Occasionally, skilled staff provide additional bespoke support for pupils.

Through the wider curriculum, pupils develop a solid understanding of the differences between people in modern Britain.

They understand that others may have different cultures and beliefs. Pupils know that families can differ. Most importantly, pupils have respect and tolerance for these differences.

All staff are proud to work at the school. They value the support from leaders to hone their professional skills. This is particularly the case in reading, where they enjoy the opportunity to share their expertise more widely.

Staff know that leaders are mindful of their workload. Leaders consider workload in any decisions that they make.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff receive up-to-date safeguarding training. Staff keep a close eye on pupils. They act quickly to alert leaders when they spot concerns.

Leaders use this information effectively. They ensure that specialist staff in school, or relevant external agencies, provide support for vulnerable pupils and their families when they need it.

Through the curriculum, pupils learn to recognise risk and keep themselves safe in a variety of situations.

They know how to stay safe online. Pupils were particularly knowledgeable about healthy relationships and the dangers of peer pressure.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of foundation subjects, leaders are not clear about how effectively teachers use assessment information.

Leaders do not know if the curriculum is helping pupils to gain the important knowledge that they need for future learning. Leaders should ensure that they check that pupils learn the knowledge that they need in these subjects so that pupils achieve as well as they should across the curriculum.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2012.