Queensbridge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel cared for and valued during their time in school. They live up to leaders' high expectations for their behaviour by following the school rules and thinking of others. Pupils' positive conduct helps to create a calm and orderly learning environment.

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying quickly. Pupils feel safe in school.

Leaders and staff expect pupils to succeed academically.

Pupils try their best and work hard. They are ready to learn. Pupils value having an adult champion in school to help them with their learning.

Typically, pupils achieve well.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities... (SEND), take part in lunchtime and after-school clubs enthusiastically. These clubs range from multi-sports and archery to cookery and gardening.

Pupils relish competing in sporting tournaments. They enjoy performing for their parents and carers at special events at school. These opportunities help pupils to develop their wider talents and interests.

Pupils are happy in school. They readily take on various leadership roles, such as school councillors or reading ambassadors. Pupils are proud of the contribution that they make to their local community and wider society.

For example, they raise money for national charities and support local events such as clothes swaps.

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

Leaders have carefully considered the needs and interests of pupils in their curriculum design. To this end, leaders have created a well-ordered curriculum that begins in the early years.

In the Nursery and Reception classes, leaders have thought about the essential knowledge and skills that children need for future learning. Across key stages 1 and 2, pupils continue to build their knowledge in a logical order. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well in most subjects.

Overall, leaders provide staff with purposeful and effective training. In the main, staff have the confidence and expertise to deliver the curriculum well. In many subjects, teachers successfully use their expertise to identify and address pupils' misconceptions.

Pupils have plentiful opportunities to revisit earlier learning so that they do not forget it. Typically, pupils build their new knowledge on firm foundations.

In a small number of subjects, leaders have recently revised the curriculum content and their approach to checking what pupils know and can do.

Some teachers are not sure how to deliver aspects of these revised curriculums. At times, some teachers do not identify and then address gaps in pupils' knowledge. This means that pupils are less able to recall their knowledge as well as they do in other curriculum areas.

Leaders have put reading at the centre of the curriculum. They have thought carefully about the range of books available to pupils. This includes books by a wide range of authors.

Pupils enjoy reading. They visit the school library at lunchtimes and enthusiastically share books with each other.

Staff receive regular training to enable them to deliver the reading curriculum well.

They skilfully adapt the delivery of the phonics programme to meet the needs of pupils. Children learn about letters and the sounds that they make as soon as they join the Reception Year. Pupils develop their reading fluency by reading books that are well matched to the sounds that they know.

Staff provide prompt help for any pupils who fall behind the expectations in the reading curriculum.

Leaders identify pupils' additional needs quickly. They also work with a range of professionals to support pupils with SEND consistently well.

Pupils in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) benefit from a carefully crafted curriculum. This helps these pupils to achieve well. Pupils in the specially resourced provision are suitably prepared for their next steps.

Children in the early years settle into school quickly. They form secure relationships with adults and their friends. Older pupils build on this positive start.

They commit to their learning in lessons. As a result, pupils learn without disruption.

Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development.

They provide a rich variety of opportunities to prepare pupils for life beyond school. For example, pupils think carefully about their future careers. They set appropriate goals and aspirations for themselves.

Pupils successfully learn what it means to be a responsible citizen. They focus on local and global issues, such as sustainability. Pupils present their findings with clarity to others as part of the Farnworth Matters initiative.

This helps to build their confidence and debating skills.

Leaders support staff with their workload and well-being. Staff appreciate that leaders carefully consider the purpose of any changes before they introduce them.

Governors have a broad skill set. Those governors who are new to their roles receive a thorough induction. They fulfil their statutory duties well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff are vigilant and keep pupils safe from harm. Leaders train staff well.

Staff are alert to signs that a pupil may have a worry. They respond to any concerns about a pupil's welfare quickly and appropriately.

Leaders take swift action to support vulnerable pupils.

This includes working closely with external agencies. Leaders value the open communication that they have established with families. Members of the designated support team respond swiftly to any concerns that are raised by parents.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They learn about fire and water safety as well as the skills of basic first aid. Pupils know that they have a trusted adult who they can go to in school if they are worried.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff are unclear about how to deliver aspects of the revised subject curriculums. This hinders how well some pupils learn new knowledge in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that staff receive the support that they need to deliver new subject curriculums consistently well.

• In a few subjects, teachers' checks on pupils' learning do not fully identify where some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Sometimes, pupils have insecure foundations on which to build new learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers use effective strategies to check that pupils have understood and remembered what they have been taught.