Primrose Hill Primary School and Children’s Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of their school. They take pride in their work.

This is evident in the high quality of pupils' artwork and their thoughtful and imaginative stories and poems. Pupils achieve highly in most subjects because teachers expect them to do so. Pupils told inspectors that learning at Primrose Hill is fun.

Pupils respond well to the high expectations that staff have of their behaviour. They are well mannered, considerate and enjoy learning. Pupils said that they feel safe at school.

Should bullying ever happen, pupils know that it will be dealt with effectively by staff.

Pupils understand and celebrate cultural diversity. Many opportunit...ies are available for them to demonstrate that they are caring and active citizens.

For example, pupils share their views at school parliament meetings. Ambassadors welcome new pupils into the school. Members of the play committee organise a range of events.

Pupils in Year 6 enjoy their annual residential in Wales, where they hone their teamwork and leadership skills. Leaders ensure that pupils can develop their talents and pursue their interests in different areas of sport, art and music.

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

Leaders have created a broad and logically ordered curriculum which engages pupils and children in the early years.

Subject leaders and teachers benefit from specialist training which ensures that the curriculum is delivered well and in the order that leaders intend. As a result, in most subjects, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), remember their learning well. Pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding as they progress through the school.

Leaders have considered what they want pupils to learn, which they describe as 'nuggets of knowledge'. In most subjects, teachers check how well pupils are learning these important aspects of the curriculum. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers' checks on pupils' learning are not fully developed.

In these subjects, teachers do not have a clear enough understanding of where there may be gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills.Reading takes centre stage in the curriculum. Pupils who spoke with the lead inspector talked enthusiastically about their favourite authors and styles of writing.

Pupils learn how to read fluently and with understanding. The books that teachers give pupils to read are closely matched to pupils' reading knowledge. Support is available for any pupils who find reading difficult.

This helps to develop pupils' confidence in reading.Leaders work closely with parents, carers and various specialists to ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified accurately. Caring staff provide carefully tailored support to make sure that these pupils can access the curriculum and make progress alongside their peers.

Pupils are well behaved. They follow rules closely, which helps to create a calm and purposeful school environment. Lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour.

Staff have high expectations of children in the early years. As a result, children learn to play cooperatively. Typically, children behave well during story time and enjoy joining in with songs and rhymes.

Leaders provide a wide range of clubs and activities to enhance pupils' personal and social development. Pupils are especially keen on coding and playing football and dodgeball. They improve their physical fitness on the 'trim trail' and understand the importance of healthy eating.

Leaders strive to widen pupils' aspirations. As part of a careers project, pupils met with engineers, medical professionals and politicians to learn about their work.Pupils learn the importance of caring for others.

They raise money for children's charities and cancer research. They like to provide services to the community. For example, pupils send Christmas and Easter cards to residents in local care homes.

Parents describe the school as being an inviting and safe place for their children. Staff share parents' positive view of the school. Staff said that leaders are mindful of their workload and mental health.

Governors hold leaders to account. Through regular checks, governors know which areas of the curriculum are strongest and which need further development. They make sure that training and support are available to staff.

This helps staff to implement the curriculum effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors ensure that staff know how to spot signs of potential neglect and abuse.

Staff are familiar with government guidelines on keeping pupils safe in school. They know exactly what to do if they are concerned about the welfare of a pupil.

Safeguarding leaders work with a range of specialist partners to make sure that pupils get additional support if it is needed.

Pupils learn about safe and unsafe situations through different aspects of the curriculum. For example, they are aware of the potential dangers of using mobile technology and browsing the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Effective checks on pupils' knowledge of the curriculum are not in place for a minority of subjects.

As a result, in these subjects, teachers' understanding of how well pupils are learning is not as good as it should be. Leaders should ensure that assessment procedures are fully implemented across the curriculum. This will help teachers to understand how well pupils are acquiring essential knowledge and to address any gaps that pupils may have in their learning.