Poverest Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Poverest Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring school, where pupils feel safe. All staff, as well as the school's dog, Buddy, are attentive to pupils' well-being and their wider development. Pupils are encouraged to think of others and to treat all people with respect.

Pupils demonstrate this in their interactions with one another, the staff team and in how they work with the local community. For example, pupils have written letters petitioning for a new playground in the local park and have contributed to its design. Pupils raise money for charities that are meaningful to the school, such as sponsoring a guide dog for... the blind and helping people experiencing homelessness.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour, underpinned by the school's new values. Pupils generally behave well in lessons, and they are attentive and focused on their work. Pupils are taught expected behaviour and routines from the moment they join the school.

Additional tailored support helps pupils who need extra guidance to manage their conduct.

All staff have high aspirations for what pupils can achieve. One parent/carer shared their view, which was typical of many: 'Teachers are consistently attentive to students' needs, ensuring a secure and encouraging space for learning and self-expression.'

Pupils take on a number of responsibilities, including as peer mediators, who help their friends to resolve issues. Pupil attendance monitors encourage their peers to attend school regularly.

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

The school has made deliberate and careful changes to the curriculum.

Leaders identified where previous curriculum thinking had not ensured that pupils were taught a breadth of knowledge to deepen their understanding. The school now has in place an organised and ambitious curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of all pupils, including children in the early years. Teachers value the new subject curriculums, which have had a positive impact on their workload.

Leaders have clearly detailed the essential knowledge and skills that they want children and pupils to know and remember.Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach with clarity. They are supported well by subject leaders, who provide training and guidance to ensure teachers are confident in all areas of the curriculum.

Pupils are motivated by what they learn and typically talk enthusiastically about what they remember, know and can do. Sometimes, pupils' recall of prior learning is not as secure. In some subjects, checks of what pupils have committed to their long-term memory and the identification of any gaps in knowledge are not routinely thorough.

All pupils are treated equally and with respect. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. Teaching and resources for the majority of pupils with SEND are adapted effectively by teachers.

The school ensures that pupils with SEND have the resources needed so that they learn the same curriculum as their peers. For some pupils with the most complex needs, curriculum thinking is being refined further to set out clearly the essential content that pupils need to know.

The school prioritises the teaching of reading.

Children begin to learn phonics early in Reception. There are lots of opportunities for pupils to practise the sounds that they have been taught and learned. Staff check pupils' reading regularly, which helps to identify weaker readers swiftly.

The school gives these pupils extra support to help them catch up and keep up. Leaders have embedded a systematic approach to teaching pupils to read. On occasion, staff do not follow the same approach to help pupils decode and blend words.

As a result, some pupils do not have a consistent strategy for blending and decoding and do not become fluent readers as quickly as they could.

The school has prioritised improving pupils' attendance to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly. The school supports pupils and families by identifying barriers to attendance.

The school has taken steps to motivate pupils to come to school regularly and on time. There has been some impact already and, for a number of pupils, attendance rates have improved.

The school promotes pupils' wider development through a broad and diverse curriculum.

Pupils are taught about different faiths and are encouraged to demonstrate fundamental British values, such as taking part in general elections in school. Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities to develop pupils' interests and talents, such as lacrosse, golf and learning to play a musical instrument.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, checks on what pupils know and remember over time are not carried out routinely and, as a result, some gaps in pupils' recall and understanding are not identified and addressed quickly. Leaders should ensure that all teachers check routinely what pupils know and remember to strengthen knowledge as well as identify and address any gaps or misconceptions. ? Occasionally, staff do not follow a consistent approach to helping pupils learn to read.

Some do not routinely apply the same systematic teaching procedures to support pupils to decode and blend words. Leaders should make sure that all staff follow a consistent approach to supporting pupils who are learning to read.

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 an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2014.

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