Reedley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming school. They understand and follow the school rules set out by leaders.

On the playground, pupils are kind to one another. Pupils are confident that staff will listen to their concerns. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Pupils have a well-informed knowledge of the different types of bullying. Such incidents are managed and resolved well by leaders.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to be successful academically.

Pupils work hard. They show resilience when they find their tasks challenging.

Leaders provide pupils with many opport...unities to develop their talents and interests.

They can take part in after-school clubs, such as art, music and sports. Pupils participate in sports competitions. They can also represent their school in tournaments with local schools.

Pupils learn to be responsible citizens. For example, older pupils act as reading buddies to children in the early years. School councillors have worked on road safety awareness and the school's impact on the environment.

Pupils enjoy celebrating each other's achievements in assemblies.

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

Leaders have made reading their top priority. They have made sure that staff are well trained to deliver the new programme for teaching early reading.

Leaders ensure that pupils who struggle to read get the help that they need through regular catch-up sessions. As a result, pupils learn to read with developing confidence, fluency and accuracy. Children in the early years apply their phonic knowledge in a range of contexts, such as the reading area, daily routines and outdoor provision.

The books that pupils read are matched well to the sounds that they know. Pupils enjoy selecting books from the library and listening to adults read to them. This helps pupils to build a strong knowledge of different authors and books.

Leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum that pupils will follow. In most subjects, leaders have ensured that the curriculum contains the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Adults check regularly that pupils learn and remember this knowledge over time.

This enables the majority of pupils to achieve well. However, in a small number of subjects, this key knowledge has not been as well defined by leaders. This makes it more difficult for teachers to design learning that helps pupils to know all that they should in readiness for future learning.

Leaders have clear identification and support processes in place for pupils with SEND. Teachers consider the needs of pupils with SEND when they design learning activities. They also provide additional resources and support to help pupils with their learning when required.

This helps pupils with SEND to achieve well.

Pupils display positive attitudes to learning. They behave well in and around the school.

Staff in the early years help children to settle in quickly. Children in the early years cooperate well with their peers.

Leaders ensure that pupils develop their understanding of fundamental British values.

For example, pupils in the school exercise democracy by voting for the after-school clubs that they want in place. Pupils learn that people should be treated fairly, regardless of their differences.

Governors understand the strengths and areas for improvement at the school.

This helps the governing body to hold leaders to account. Governors and leaders are considerate of staff's workload and well-being when making decisions about policies and procedures. Staff are proud to work in the school.

They feel well supported by leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained.

Regular safeguarding updates help staff to recognise if a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff understand how to raise concerns about pupils' safety. Records show that they do so quickly.

When safeguarding leads are aware of a concern, they act appropriately, involving other agencies when necessary.

Pupils understand some of the steps to take to keep safe when using the internet. They also learn about road safety and the potential dangers caused by strangers.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders, including those in the early years, are not clear enough about the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that the activities that pupils undertake are not always focused effectively on the key building blocks of knowledge that they need for their future learning. Leaders should ensure that, in these subjects, the most important knowledge that pupils should secure is identified and taught well so that pupils can deepen their understanding of these subjects over time.