Peter Hills with St Mary’s and St Paul’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, confident individuals who enjoy coming to school. Pupils behave impeccably and demonstrate consistently positive attitudes and commitment to their learning. Pupils are safe as leaders have created a secure and trusting environment.

Pupils are confident to talk about anything that worries them. They said that adults resolve any concerns they might have. This includes any incidents of bullying, which staff deal with effectively.

Pupils can attend many activities that extend their interests. These range, for example, from sports and music to cookery and sewing. Pupils are encouraged to play an active part in their community.

Each class carries ...out a yearly 'activism' project. These include working with the local council on a cleaner air initiative and with school meal providers to offer a 'meat-free Monday'. Pupils talk passionately about supporting local food banks and homeless shelters.

They enjoyed redesigning the community garden.

Teachers have high expectations of pupils. As a result, pupils produce work of a good quality.

The curriculum in most subjects is ambitious and well designed to help pupils learn important ideas and vocabulary. However, in a few subjects, this is less well developed.

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

Leaders prioritise teaching pupils to read.

From the early years, children enjoy reading, and listening to stories and rhymes. Staff have been well trained to teach phonics. As a result, it is taught with precision so pupils secure the sounds they need to read accurately.

Pupils who struggle to read are swiftly identified and well supported to catch up. This mean that pupils read with increasing confidence and fluency.

Leaders identify key vocabulary they want pupils to use.

This begins in the early years. Teachers think carefully about the words they want children to learn. For example, children use and understand the terms 'humid' and 'carnivorous' when learning about the rainforests.

However, staff in the early years do not routinely extend children's spoken language.

The curriculum in the majority of subjects is ambitious and well designed. It helps pupils learn important knowledge, ideas and vocabulary.

In these subjects, leaders have identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. This has been well organised in a logical manner. Through quality training, teachers refine their expertise to deliver the planned curriculum effectively.

They ensure pupils revisit key concepts. This helps pupils to remember more and develop detailed understanding. For example, in mathematics, children in the early years practise counting.

This supports them to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Older pupils go on to use this knowledge when calculating scale factors. In geography, children in the early years produce simple maps and plans.

This enables them to understand more detailed maps, symbols and keys. Older pupils use their map-reading skills to interpret aerial photographs and satellite images.

Teachers use assessment well.

They use the information to check if pupils have mastered key knowledge. They address any misconceptions before tackling more complex concepts. As a result, over time, pupils develop a more detailed understanding in different areas of the curriculum.

In a few subjects, leaders have not considered clearly enough what they want pupils to know. This means that teaching is not focused on the most important knowledge pupils need to gain. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

Leaders recognise this and have appropriate plans in place to improve these subjects.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. They receive high-quality support to access the same curriculum as their peers.

This helps pupils with SEND to achieve well and to develop their confidence and independence.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. They show consistently high levels of concentration and motivation when working alone or with others.

Effective systems are in place to manage pupils' attendance and punctuality that have resulted in significant improvement for some pupils. These very positive attitudes contribute strongly to pupils' achievements.

The school's work to promote pupils' personal development is exceptional.

The curriculum has been well designed to help pupils understand how to maintain their physical and mental health. The 'liberation curriculum' supports pupils to celebrate diversity. Pupils talk with maturity about how society can be kinder and fairer to those who are disadvantaged or discriminated against.

There are planned opportunities for pupils to debate challenging issues. For example, in geography, pupils discussed the fragility of the natural world. They demonstrated well-considered opinions about sustainability and social justice.

Governors have a secure understanding of the school's strengths and areas for improvement. They work closely with leaders to ensure that planned improvements are well implemented and evaluated.

Staff appreciate the opportunities they have for professional development.

They state that leaders manage workload effectively and they are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have been well trained to understand their role in safeguarding pupils.

They are alert, take concerns seriously and quickly report these to leaders. Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families receive the support they need.

The curriculum helps pupils to understand risk and stay safe.

For example, pupils understand the importance of healthy, respectful, safe and consensual relationships. Leaders have provided guidance to help parents and pupils understand the potential risks of using social media. As a result, pupils talk knowledgeably about dealing with unsolicited communication they may experience when online.

Leaders ensure that all pre-employment checks are carried out. Staff understand what to do if they have safeguarding concerns about colleagues.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, for example music and Spanish, leaders have not planned the curriculum well enough.

This means that pupils do not learn as effectively in these subjects as they do in the rest of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that they fully identify the important knowledge that pupils need to secure. They should sequence this logically so that teachers can support pupils to build their understanding and remember more over time.

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