Queensway Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' educational experiences at Queensway Primary School are unacceptably varied.

Many pupils do not receive the quality of education they are entitled to receive. The school's current curriculum lacks ambition.

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not well managed.

Until recently, leaders did not have a grasp of how to best support these pupils in education.

Pupils feel safe at school. They feel well supported when things go wrong.

They have lots of trained experts to help them when issues arise. Most pupils are confident that issues, such as bullying, are addressed when they tell an adult..../>
Although there is a behaviour for learning policy in place, it is inconsistently applied.

Expectations of pupils' behaviour throughout school are too low. As such, pupils' attitudes towards learning are inconsistent.

Leaders have been slow to relaunch the extra-curricular offer of clubs and activities, following the disruption caused by COVID-19.

Most pupils are not currently benefitting from such opportunities. However, there are educational visits in place for pupils in most year groups.

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

The school has experienced several changes in leadership arrangements since the last inspection in 2017.

However, the new senior leadership team, all appointed since September 2021, have begun to provide much-needed stability. They have started to bring the school community back together. They are addressing the decline in pupils' achievement that has materialised over recent years.

They recognise that pupils' attitudes towards learning are not good enough. Leaders have detailed plans in place to improve pupils' experiences at school, including the quality of the curriculum, from September 2022.

The current curriculum is not well thought through.

Across most subjects, leaders have not directed teachers to precisely which topics to prioritise. They have not identified the key content from each unit of work that it is important for pupils to learn. Teachers do not assess what pupils know in an effective way, so are not fully aware of what pupils have remembered.

Although teaching plans exist for subjects, such as religious education and modern foreign languages, many pupils cannot remember the last time they were taught these subjects.

A new approach to teaching pupils to read, using a phonics scheme, was launched earlier in this school year. Although all staff have received appropriate training, there is variation in the delivery of the phonics sessions.

Pupils who need additional support to read do not receive suitable help. As a result, too many pupils cannot read at an age-appropriate level. The quality of their written work is also below the standard expected of them.

Pupils with SEND have erratic experiences at school. In some lessons, they are not supported to access the same work as their peers. Elsewhere, they work outside of the main classroom, undertaking work which lacks ambition.

The needs of some pupils with SEND are not fully known. Senior leaders have recently appointed a new special educational needs coordinator. Together, they are rapidly carrying out assessments to better understand these pupils' learning needs.

They have started to establish how to best meet these needs at school.

In the Reception class, leaders have designed an appropriate, well-planned curriculum. Staff give high levels of support to the children in their care.

They provide many opportunities for children to play, discover and enjoy the setting's indoor and outdoor facilities. However, in recent years, there have been several changes to personnel in the early years setting. Not all current staff are fully trained to support children in this part of school.

Many children in the early years do not read and write as well as they should by the end of the Reception year.

Aside from academic subjects, pupils also have lessons in personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE). Until recently, it has been unclear precisely what pupils in different years cover in these sessions.

The long-term plan for some of these lessons has not been well thought through. Pupils have only a partial awareness of different cultures, faiths and other important aspects of life in modern Britain. Leaders have amended these curriculum plans to improve this offer from the beginning of the new school year in September.

The governing body is providing much needed support to new leaders. Records, including minutes from the governing body, suggest that this support was not as comprehensive prior to this school year. The impact of the pupil premium funding, for example, was not previously known or evaluated by governors.

This expenditure is important given the high proportion of pupils at the school who are identified as disadvantaged. Until recently, leaders and governors have not been consistently mindful of staff workload and well-being. Leaders have not routinely been suitably challenged on the effectiveness of the school's curriculum.

However, many of these shortfalls have started to be addressed by the new governing body.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are mindful of the latest statutory guidance in place to help keep pupils safe.

They ensure staff are well trained on the signs that pupils may be at risk. Pupils feel safe at school. They have adults who they can speak to about any concerns.

Recently, leaders have ensured that additional staff are trained to strengthen the capacity of the safeguarding team. The team ensure that pupils receive the help they need, including from external agencies where necessary.

A small number of minor administrative weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements were identified during the inspection.

These were addressed immediately. They did not leave children at risk of harm.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Expectations of pupils with SEND are low.

In many cases, the needs of these pupils are not fully known. Needs which have been identified are not routinely met. As a result, pupils with SEND do not benefit from a high-quality education.

Although new leaders have started to address this, more effort is needed to ensure pupils with SEND encounter more positive learning opportunities. ? Teachers do not consistently follow curriculum plans that set out precisely what it is that pupils are expected to learn. As a result, pupils' experiences in lessons are variable.

Leaders must provide training for staff to help them deliver the school's revised curriculum. Leaders, including governors, should monitor the impact of the new curriculum, and ensure all pupils are benefitting from it. ? Pupils are insufficiently prepared for their next steps in life.

Extra-curricular opportunities are minimal and pupils do not consistently benefit from the planned PSHE curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the deficiencies in pupils' wider personal development are addressed, so that pupils are well prepared for life beyond school. ? Leaders' expectations of pupils' behaviour are not high enough.

Staff do not routinely support and challenge pupils when pupils do not behave as well as they should. Leaders should address this shortcoming, ensuring appropriate training and support is in place for staff in tackling poor behaviour well. ? The curriculum in early years is not well established.

Some pupils do not make enough progress in reading and writing. Leaders should ensure the early years provision prepares children fully for the demands of Year 1. ? Leaders have not done enough to tackle the school's weaknesses.

Over time, governors have not checked some aspects of leaders' work. They have not had a clear enough view of strengths and weaknesses. Leaders should revisit their evaluation of the effectiveness of the school, ensuring support is in place to implement the necessary improvements.

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