Princess Frederica CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a joyful place where children flourish. Pupils are overwhelmingly happy and safe at school. They know that their friends and trusted adults will look after them here.

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. Many shared their views about the school's positivity, warmth and 'sense of belonging' for everyone.

The school is ambitious for all its pupils.

This ambition is realised through a well-designed curriculum and an extensive extra-curricular offer. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is well thought through. This means that all pupils achieve well.

The school provides a wide ran...ge of residential visits. Pupils appreciate the opportunity to be members of the school council, librarians, house captains or tour guides. In the early years, children receive strong support so that they are well prepared for Year 1.

Pupils typically behave very well in lessons. They focus on their work and rise to the school's high expectations. Pupils have a strong understanding of what bullying is.

They trust adults to sort out any problems should they happen.

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

The school has designed an ambitious, broad and engaging curriculum. This enables pupils to build up knowledge and skills securely over time, starting in the early years.

For example, children in Reception learn about old and new toys. This helps them to understand that things were different in the past. Older pupils build on this historical understanding as they learn increasingly complex concepts, such as settlement, trade and power.

In many subjects, the curriculum is extremely detailed. It provides teachers with the information they need to deliver the aims of the curriculum effectively. For instance, pupils build very strong knowledge and skills in music.

Children learn notation from early years. Pupils learn a variety of instruments and perform in choirs, ensembles and an orchestra. In a few subjects, the school's curricular thinking does not identify the precise knowledge and skills pupils need to learn.

This limits pupils' deeper understanding over time.

Teachers use assessment well to identify any gaps in learning. The school thinks carefully about how to develop pupils' subject-specific skills.

For example, in computing, Year 6 pupils programmed a game to help pupils in Year 1 with their mouse control skills.

The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly. Support for these pupils is timely and effective.

Adults are proactive in intervening in lessons to ensure pupils' understanding. Work given is supplemented by helpful resources. In this way, pupils with SEND access learning and achieve well.

The school prioritises reading. From the Nursery class upwards, books are celebrated regularly. Every class visits the well-appointed library once per week, ably aided by the pupil librarians.

Phonics lessons are delivered with great skill. Pupils focus wholeheartedly in these lessons. Assessment systems are highly effective.

This means that any pupils in danger of falling behind get timely help to keep up. Staff are skilled at ensuring that pupils read books closely matched to phonic sounds that they know. This helps the school meet its ambition that all children will become confident, fluent readers.

Pupils engage well in their lessons. The school promotes a range of 'habits' that are conducive to learning. Pupils respond to these positively.

Routines are well established in most classes. There are equally clear expectations for how pupils should behave around the school. However, on occasion, these expectations are not shared consistently by staff.

This results in some less orderly behaviour. The school makes sure pupils have regular attendance. Leaders monitor any pupils' attendance that is low and have clear strategies to support them.

The school develops pupils' personal development well. Pupils have an excellent understanding of diversity. They use words such as 'discrimination' and 'homophobia' accurately when talking about equality.

Pupils appreciate the lessons and assemblies they have on such important issues as anti-bullying, racism and online safety. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum teaches pupils to navigate friendships in a mature and sensitive way.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about working here.

They say colleagues are really supportive and look out for each other. Staff get the training and support they need to do their jobs well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school's curriculum for PSHE has a strong focus on keeping safe. For example, pupils are able to talk at length, and in a mature and nuanced way, about forming healthy relationships. The school is clear on local risks and provides ample guidance around staying safe online.

Staff have a strong understanding of safeguarding. They say the training they receive is extremely helpful. There is strong provision for pupils' well-being and mental health.

However, the actions taken following concerns being reported are not always recorded systematically. Moreover, systems for checking how comprehensively cases are documented are not robust. This could make it difficult to track a case and determine whether concerns have been resolved.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the school does not identify the key content that pupils need to learn. This means that pupils do not build their knowledge and understanding deeply over time. The school should make sure that curricular thinking in all subjects identifies what pupils need to know precisely.

• There are occasions when strategies to regulate pupils' behaviour, particularly at transition times and lunchtimes, are not used consistently. When this is the case, pupils' behaviour is less orderly. The school should ensure that all staff apply the behaviour policy consistently both in lessons and around the school.

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