Samuel Allsopp Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are joyful and safe in this caring school. High expectations and warm relationships ensure that everybody feels welcome.

Interactions between pupils and staff are nurturing, kind and respectful. Pupils' enthusiasm for learning in lessons is palpable. One pupil said, reflecting the views of many, 'We are taught that nothing is impossible.'

In classrooms and on the playground, pupils behave well and are keen to do their best.

While the school has ambitious aspirations for all, pupils do not achieve highly enough across the whole curriculum. Many pupils have gaps in their learning.

Low achievement over time has not prepared pupils well for their... next steps. However, effective work by the school has raised standards of teaching and learning in English and mathematics. The positive impact of these recent improvements is clear.

The school embraces a rich range of languages, faiths and cultures. Pupils learn about inspirational role models, such as Malala Yousafzai. These experiences help pupils to understand and embrace equality.

Pupils are proud to contribute to their school community through leadership roles in the library, lunch hall and as part of the 'pupil parliament'. Extra-curricular trips enrich learning. Pupils develop social and moral responsibility, for example when fundraising for charities.

Pastoral care is a strength at this school. Staff show expertise and compassion in order to help pupils who need emotional support.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has taken decisive steps and recruited a new leadership team.

There is now steadfast ambition to raise standards and turn around a legacy of poor achievement. In the past, children have not learned early reading skills well enough to prepare them for Year 1 and beyond. There is now a high-quality phonics programme in place, and reading is at the heart of the school.

Staff read to children frequently and introduce them to inspirational books and authors. Pupils love the 'Reading Olympic' awards. There is now a relentless focus on helping pupils who struggle with reading.

This strong catch-up work is helping more pupils to become fluent and confident readers.

In early years, children learn essential foundations in mathematics. They recognise numbers and facts to prepare them for key stage 1.

As pupils move through the school, they learn to apply mathematical concepts and procedures with skill. Many achieve well by the end of Year 6. However, beyond early reading and mathematics, the curriculum and teaching approaches in early years are new.

Some staff need further support to help children to learn key knowledge and language effectively so that they are prepared fully for Year 1.

Since the last inspection, the school has revised the curriculum to help pupils to know and remember more across subjects. Some subjects are still at an early stage of development.

Teachers do not adapt tasks to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) consistently well enough. This means that pupils with SEND, alongside their peers, have not achieved as much as they should. However, the school has the required expertise and focus to address this.

The school identifies pupils' needs through checks on pupils' learning. Many pupils join throughout the year, often without experience of speaking English, and teachers work hard to identify gaps in their knowledge. This information is not always used to address misconceptions effectively, so some pupils find it hard to recall knowledge over time in some subjects.

They do not learn as much as they should, therefore, in some subjects. A high proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. Some staff use effective strategies to help them with essential vocabulary, but this is not always consistent.

Behaviour is positive from the early years to Year 6. Children settle happily into early years, where the school's nurturing approach begins. The learning environment is well organised to encourage teamwork and independence.

Clear routines and caring staff help children to adapt to school life well. Pupils throughout the school are delightful in their conduct. They greet visitors warmly and enjoy talking about their learning.

The school has achieved great success in improving attendance. Its impressive work with families has dramatically reduced persistent absence. This particularly benefits pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged.

Personal development provision is thoughtfully planned. Curriculum activities and assemblies help pupils to celebrate fundamental British values. The school embraces multiculturalism.

Pupils listen to the views of others and take pride in being positive citizens. They understand how to stay safe and healthy.

Leaders are reflective and have pupils' best interests at heart.

They are dedicated to raising standards but the impact of their work is not yet reflected in pupils' academic outcomes. Governors know the school well. They care strongly about their community and provide positive support.

However, governors have not held the school to account strongly enough during a long period of low achievement. Staff are happy and proud to work at the school and appreciate how leaders consider their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school do need to do to improve?

• Pupils' achievement in some subjects is variable. Pupils struggle to recall their learning over time. The school must ensure that teachers check what pupils know and use this information to address misconceptions and help pupils to acquire knowledge successfully across the curriculum.

• Adaptations to the curriculum are not consistently effective. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could. The school must ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to adapt learning to help all pupils to make strong progress through the curriculum.

• Children in the early years are not prepared consistently well enough for key stage 1. Not all pupils have the secure foundational knowledge and skills that they need when they start Year 1. The school must ensure that early years provision prepares children with the knowledge they need for their next steps.

• Governors have not provided the school with sufficient or effective challenge to improve standards. As a result, pupils have not achieved highly enough over time. Governors must hold the school to account fully in order that pupils achieve more highly across the whole curriculum.