Royal Wharf Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are happy and safe. They enjoy learning and attend school regularly. The values in this school, 'inclusion, creativity and excellence', pervade all that the school does.

Pupils behave well in lessons and enjoy an interesting and exciting curriculum. They are proud of their school.

Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils work hard and achieve well in many areas of the curriculum. Pupils celebrate differences, understand how they are unique and enjoy learning about different cultures and backgrounds.

This includes raising ...funds for partner schools in other countries. If pupils have worries, they are confident staff will help them. Staff encourage pupils to be healthy, both physically and mentally.

Leaders are visible and approachable to parents and carers, who are highly supportive of the school. Parents shared that staff provide great care towards their children and make everyone feel welcome. Pupils follow the school's routines extremely well in the early years.

The breadth of opportunity for pupils' personal development is rich and varied. Pupils attend many clubs and enjoy a range of educational visits.

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

Leaders, with the support of trustees, have established an exciting and ambitious curriculum.

It is well designed and builds from the early years effectively. As a result, children get off to a very strong start. The curriculum places a strong emphasis on early language and communication.

This ensures that pupils have secure foundations to deepen their knowledge and understanding across the curriculum. For example, in art, pupils select appropriate paints and materials. Staff enable pupils to use appropriate techniques to complete their artwork successfully.

In early years, children get off to an excellent start. This is because staff are highly skilled at supporting children's understanding across all areas of learning. They prioritise children's very strong development of communication and language skills.

Children are fully ready for Year 1.

Leaders support all pupils to succeed, including pupils with SEND. They ensure that pupils with SEND are supported effectively and achieve well.

Adults adapt activities carefully to ensure that pupils have full access to the curriculum. Leaders provide staff with the appropriate support and training to support the learning of pupils with SEND successfully.

Teachers deliver the intended curriculum well.

They have strong subject knowledge. Teachers check pupils' work regularly. They use a range of approaches to check what pupils have learned.

However, sometimes, teaching does not identify and address pupils' misconceptions securely. Consequently, this limits pupils' opportunities to deepen their knowledge and understanding.

Leaders have prioritised teaching pupils to read fluently.

This starts in the Nursery, where children enjoy listening to stories and learning songs and rhymes. Skilful adult interactions with children help them to learn and increase their vocabulary. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme effectively.

They check on pupils' phonics knowledge regularly so that they can identify pupils who are finding it difficult to learn to read. These pupils receive extra support to help them to catch up. Staff ensure that pupils' reading books are closely matched to the sounds that they know.

Staff help children in the early years to learn the importance of behaving well and working hard. They are supported by adults to share, take turns and play together. Pupils across the school behave well.

They show high levels of respect towards each other and to staff.

Leaders have successfully focused on reducing pupils' persistent absence levels. They work closely with families and agencies to encourage punctuality and attendance.

Pupils attend school regularly as a result.

Leaders develop pupils' characters exceptionally well. Staff encourage pupils to celebrate the differences and cultures of people across the world and in their community.

Pupils understand that their opinions are important and valued. They understand and know about modern British values. They learn about different relationships and know how to keep safe and healthy.

Pupils participate in rich and varied experiences to develop their talents and interests, including visits to London landmarks and museums. They spoke enthusiastically about the sports, art and science clubs in which they take part.

Staff said that they are proud to work at the school.

They appreciate leaders' support for their well-being and workload. Staff benefit from a strong professional development programme. Members of the trust know the school well.

They make sure that pupils benefit from a high-quality education. Those responsible for governance understand their roles and carry them out well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasion, teaching does not identify and address misconceptions in pupils' learning securely. This limits pupils' deeper learning of subject content. The school needs to ensure that pupils' knowledge and understanding are systematically checked so they are fully prepared for future content.

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