Portfields Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The standards reached by pupils in both English and mathematics are consistently above the national average.

Pupils make good progress and achieve well in all subjects. Pupils write at length in a number of different subjects, so they develop their writing skills well. Teaching is typically at least good, and some teaching is outstanding.

Pupils with disabilities or who have special educational needs are well supported, so they make good progress. Reading is taught well. Pupils enjoy reading for learning and for pleasure.

Pupils are provided with a wide range of interesting lessons, visits, clubs and other experiences. This help...s them to enjoy school. Pupils feel safe and behave exceptionally well.

They are very proud of their school, and want to succeed. School leaders have created a caring atmosphere in school. Although this is a large school, pupils are known and valued as individuals.

The school has good relationships with parents and carers, who are supportive of the school and its leaders. The governing body is ambitious for the school, and supports school leaders well. It is not yet an outstanding school because: The school's leaders have not, in the past, been systematic in checking the progress of pupils in order to provide the help needed so they all can make rapid progress.

As a result, pupils' rates of progress have fluctuated, and recently fell. School leaders do not check the quality of teaching frequently enough to make sure it is improving. A small amount of teaching requires improvement.

In some lessons work is not difficult enough to make all pupils think hard, especially the more able. Teachers' introductions to lessons are sometimes too long. Teachers' marking, although detailed, does not always clearly tell pupils how to improve their work, and pupils do not always have the chance to respond to this marking.

Information about this school

The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school. It has Early Years Foundation Stage classes for reception-aged children. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported though school action is much lower than average.

The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is slightly lower than average. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is below average.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is the extra funding for pupils in local authority care, from forces families and those who are known to be eligible for free school meals, is much lower than average. Almost all of these supported pupils in this school are those known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils who join the school at times other than the start of the Reception Year is higher than the national average.

A privately run after-school club operates on the school site. It was not included in this inspection. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.

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