Queen’s Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy here. The very youngest children, who have only just started school, have settled well and engage confidently with the many activities on offer. Elsewhere, pupils and staff say that they can see and appreciate the initial improvements being made across the school's provision.

The expectations of what pupils will learn and how they will behave are increasing following new guidance and training for staff. Staff, many of whom are new to the school, recognise the importance of the current focus on the much-needed improvements. However, many of these are at early stages and there remains variability across the school in how they are being implemented.

As a... result, pupils do not currently always behave and learn as well as they could.

Pupils feel safe. While a few pupils do not always feel listened to when they raise playground issues or bullying, most do feel included and well cared for.

Relationships across the school are warm. Pupils move around safely and are typically polite and friendly. Playtimes are a hive of happy activity where older pupils support the younger ones as part of the new 'playground leaders' system.

Pupils enjoy the opportunities to play games, exercise and socialise.

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

The school has experienced a period of disruption that has led to pupils not achieving as well as they should. Decisive and effective action has recently been taken by the new headteacher and the newly formed leadership team.

Staff are positive about the results of the recent changes and morale is high. They are keen to work with senior leaders, including the new special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), to ensure that the necessary improvements to support for all pupils are quickly put in place. This includes further training and support for subject leaders to check teachers have the knowledge and expertise they need to teach the curriculum.

Pupils learn across a broad range of subjects. They are keen to take part in enjoyable activities. However, the curriculum has not yet been fully ordered in all subjects so that pupils learn new knowledge that builds on what they have learned before.

Consequently, pupils are unable to explore different concepts in depth. In subjects such as mathematics, pupils do not always have the necessary knowledge of number concepts, such as place value, to understand what they are being taught. While pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are increasingly having their individual needs identified, teachers are not yet consistent in adapting learning to ensure all pupils with SEND learn successfully.

The school has made significant changes in the teaching of reading. Staff now have the training and resources they need to prioritise reading for all. They report how this has raised pupils' interest in the books that they read.

Many pupils choose to read often. In early years, children are excited by books which they eagerly bring to adults to share. Children now get off to a strong start in learning to read because the teaching of phonics is regular and effective.

Staff across the rest of the school have developed their expertise in supporting those pupils who need additional help. This is beginning to have an impact in helping these pupils to read fluently and with confidence.

Staff and pupils say that behaviour has improved since the introduction of the new policy.

Staff are beginning to apply the strategies that underpin the principles of 'respectful, responsible, safe'. However, this is not yet consistently in place. While some pupils more readily understand how to act responsibly, some still struggle to learn independently.

The school also continues to take action to promote and support regular school attendance. However, currently, not all pupils attend school as regularly as they should.

While the school promotes personal development opportunities for pupils, as yet the personal, social and health education curriculum is not effectively or coherently organised.

Pupils do learn about a range of faiths and develop some understanding of equality. Pupils also enjoy representing the school in sporting tournaments and community events. They know how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

The school is working to improve communication with parents and strengthen positive links with the wider community. Parents recognise the recent improvements that have been made. Specific training has supported the governing body in holding leaders to account for school performance and they have now begun to revise how they support improvements in the school.

However, governors do not yet have sufficient understanding about the effectiveness of how additional funding is used to support the achievement of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The knowledge that pupils should learn across the curriculum has not yet been carefully identified or ordered.

Teachers do not always know precisely what to teach and when, meaning pupils are not learning important knowledge and skills securely. The school should ensure that a fully sequenced curriculum is in place across all subjects that links learning from early years to Year 6. ? Teaching is not always underpinned by secure pedagogical or subject knowledge.

This means that pupils' misconceptions are not always identified and addressed. The school should continue to provide support and training for staff to deliver sequences of learning effectively. This includes making appropriate adaptations to help pupils with SEND achieve well.

The leadership and oversight of individual subjects is at an early stage. The effectiveness of the curriculum is not routinely checked by subject leaders. The school should continue to support leaders at all levels as they implement the much-needed improvements to the curriculum.

• Governors do not always have sufficient oversight of how resources are allocated and used. This means that they do not evaluate sufficiently well the impact of additional funding. Governors should further develop their oversight and evaluation of the schools' resources to support ongoing improvements in the school.

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