Pawlett Primary School Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Respect is at the heart of this school. Pupils live by the school's values of respecting themselves, others and the environment.

They learn well because they listen and participate considerately. Breaktimes and the breakfast club are harmonious. Pupils mix well.

They share resources and spaces and speak to one another kindly.

Adults have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils are clear about these expectations and understand the rules.

As a result, pupils behave well. The pupil peer mentors are now using the same positive language. They are good role models and, for example, praise younger pupils for their 'wonderful walking'.

Relati...onships are positive across the school. Pupils feel safe and trust adults to listen to them if they have a worry. Pupils and parents value the nurture and pastoral care the school provides.

Parents are positive about how staff communicate with them.

The school has strengthened its links with and place in the community. Pupils enjoy taking part in visits to the local church and village events.

They are particularly proud of their litter picking. These experiences help to develop their understanding of being a responsible citizen.

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

Pupils learn to read well.

Right from their start in Reception, children enjoy listening to stories and rhymes. They quickly learn sounds that enable them to begin to read simple words. Regular checks on their learning mean that most pupils build accuracy and confidence.

Any pupils who struggle receive the support they need to catch up. Older pupils thoroughly enjoy the texts they read and study. They appreciate the wide range of texts they can choose from, which help them to become capable readers.

The school has worked hard to sequence the curriculum appropriately from the early years. It has identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. In a few subjects this is not yet as refined as it could be.

As a result, teaching sometimes focuses on activities for pupils to complete, rather than developing the knowledge they need. Therefore, pupils recall what they have done, but do not remember more over time. In some subjects, teachers' expectations of what pupils can achieve are not as high as they are in reading and mathematics.

As a result, pupils' attitudes to their learning can dip in these subjects.

Pupils remember more in reading and mathematics. This is because teachers are clear about what should be taught and when.

Pupils regularly revisit what they already know. This helps them become fluent with letter sounds and number recognition. Consequently, they confidently tackle increasingly complex texts and number problems.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn alongside their peers. Teaching makes sure that pupils with SEND have the resources they need to help them when necessary.In Reception, children show curiosity and independence.

They quickly settle into school life, playing and learning together well. Children know the routines and expectations adults have of them.

The school supports teachers well.

Teachers are positive about the trust's work to improve their skills. They benefit from working with colleagues from other schools and trust specialists to deepen their subject knowledge. The school ensures staff know how it wants the curriculum to be taught.

This has been useful due to the number of new staff joining the school. However, these agreed methods are not yet fully embedded, which means pupils do not learn as well in some subjects. The school is not always aware that pupils have not learned the intended curriculum.

For example, in history, older pupils struggle to explain important concepts such as civilization, despite studying this idea a number of times.

The school makes sure pupils understand diversity and equality. The school has chosen texts, visitors and visits that broaden pupils' understanding of life in modern Britain.

Pupils use their school parliament to discuss these issues and make sense of individual and community responsibility towards one another. This is further strengthened by a well-sequenced personal, social and health education curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils' work is sometimes focused on completing activities rather than enabling them to learn new knowledge. This means that pupils can recall what they have done but not what they have learned. The school should continue to develop teachers' pedagogy so that pupils know more and remember more over time.

• The school does not have a clear understanding of the impact of the curriculum on pupils. As a result, it has an overly positive evaluation of what pupils know and remember. The school should develop an accurate evaluation of how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum.