Paddox Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Paddox Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Paddox Primary School is a caring and welcoming learning community. Pupils come from many diverse backgrounds and faiths, but all are fully included in school life. At playtimes and in lessons, pupils follow leaders' high expectations.

Pupils play happily, work hard and achieve well. All the classes are named after trees. Collectively, they make for a diverse but happy forest.

Pupils are kind, polite and well behaved. They have good relationships with staff and other pupils. They enjoy learning and show positive attitudes to their work.

Good behaviour begins in the early ye...ars. Children learn to cooperate and listen to adults from the outset. As they move through the school, pupils follow the school rules of being 'ready, respectful and safe'.

Pupils know that staff care about them and provide good support when they need it. A high proportion of pupils, parents and staff agree that pupils are safe at school. Inspection evidence also shows that leaders take bullying very seriously.

They act swiftly to address it.

Pupils enjoy the wide range of experiences and extra-curricular activities that the school provides. These include school performances, residential visits, forest school, mindfulness club and many different sports activities.

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

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is well planned and sequenced in most subjects. Teachers have received training to deliver the planned curriculum. They systematically revisit previous learning.

At the start of lessons, teachers 'boomerang' back to prior key content to help pupils embed their learning. 'Pit stop' questions are also used in lessons to check what pupils know and remember. These checks are most effective where leaders have identified the key knowledge and vocabulary pupils need.

However, this is not yet the case across all subjects, or in areas of learning in the early years. This means that teachers cannot accurately check how well pupils' learning builds over time in these subjects.

Children in the early years enjoy the interesting activities teachers plan.

Staff have created a well-resourced, nurturing environment where children can flourish. The teaching of early reading and mathematics is successful. It provides the foundations for later learning.

Staff pay close attention to developing children's language, physical and personal skills.

Reading is a strength at this school and pupils achieve well. Leaders seek exciting and creative ways to promote a love of reading.

Visiting authors, library visits and inviting reading areas all encourage pupils to enjoy literature. Leaders understand the importance of reading. They have successfully introduced a new approach to teaching early reading and writing.

This includes investing in high-quality books that are phonics based. This allows pupils to practise what they learn in lessons. Staff provide extra help and lessons for pupils who struggle to read.

This is helping them to catch up quickly.

Pupils with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well cared for and educated in Brambles, the onsite resource unit. Skilled staff provide effective support for these pupils.

Other pupils with SEND receive appropriate work in daily lessons in classrooms. However, leaders do not ensure that the targets set for these pupils are precise and measurable. Leaders do not review these carefully enough or modify them where needed.

This reduces the progress these pupils make.

Leaders are aware that absence is too high. They have worked hard to reduce the number of pupils who are persistently absent.

There is evidence of improvement for some individuals. However, it remains the case that too many pupils continue to miss vital lessons. This is particularly the case for children in the early years and pupils with SEND.

Pupils learn about different cultures and religions through the curriculum. They understand the importance of treating everyone equally and that discrimination of any kind is wrong. Teachers use clever methods to help pupils remember and understand fundamental British values.

Pupils know that 'DR.TIM' stands for democracy, rule of law, tolerance, individual liberty and mutual respect. They also know precisely what these values stand for and how they are applied in their school.

The school is well led and managed. Staff appreciate the approachability and support they receive from senior leaders. This includes managing pupil behaviour and making changes to reduce their workload.

Early career teachers are well supported. They receive helpful guidance and training from all leaders and colleagues.

Governors have managed the additional provision and growth of the school well.

They have carried out robust recruitment procedures to ensure that the right staff and leaders are appointed. Governors provide good levels of challenge and support to leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Staff and governors receive regular training and updates to keep their knowledge up to date. They know the importance of reporting concerns quickly and accurately.

Leaders act promptly on the information they receive, so that pupils and families get the support needed. Leaders ensure that all pre-employment checks are carried out to ensure that adults working in school are suitable.

Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe through the curriculum.

They can name at least five trusted adults they would speak to if they were being harmed in any way.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum, including the early years curriculum, is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in all subjects. In a few subjects, the curriculum does not set out the precise content and vocabulary that pupils are expected to know and remember.

This leads to variation in pupil achievement in different subjects. Leaders should ensure that all subjects outline the most important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils are expected to know from early years to Year 6. ? Targets set for pupils with SEND are too often imprecise.

This means that staff cannot measure or assess the progress of pupils. Leaders should ensure that targets are achievable, measurable and precise and that they are systematically reviewed and updated appropriately. ? Too many pupils, especially children in the early years and pupils with SEND, are persistently absent.

As a result, some of the most vulnerable pupils are not accessing the education and care they should. Leaders should ensure that they explore and utilise every avenue to secure improved attendance of these pupils.

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 a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school would not 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2017.

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