Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming, friendly school.

They are happy and safe.They know that adults have their best interests at heart.

Pupils understand the school rules and meet the high expectations set in class.

In most cases, they play nicely together during breaktimes and lunchtimes. However, some pupils report that they can experience unkind words and behaviours in the playground, and this is not always dealt with by adults in a timely manner.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences beyond the classroom, such as extra-curricular clubs and well-planned trips that help to bring the curriculum alive.

Recently introduced pupil l...eadership roles give some pupils opportunities to contribute to the life of the school.

The school aspires for all pupils to achieve well. Effective improvements to the curriculum are having a positive impact.

However, not all pupils achieve as well as they should in all subject areas yet. This is because the changes to the school's curriculum are very recent.

This school has experienced a significant period of turbulence since the last inspection.

As this has stabilised, pupils are now benefiting from the many, well-considered improvements that new leaders have brought about. However, the quality of education that pupils receive still needs further improvement.

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

The school has recently reviewed the curriculum for all subjects.

This is improving experiences for pupils in lessons. Pupils are now remembering what they have been taught. In some subjects, pupils talk confidently about recent learning.

The revised curriculum is now clearly sequenced. This supports pupils to build on prior learning.

Staff check on pupils' learning in lessons.

However, the school does not consistently use this information to make sure that gaps and misconceptions are addressed. They cannot be sure that all pupils are making the best possible progress through the curriculum.

In recent years, too many pupils did not achieve well in the Year 1 phonics check.

The school has made changes to address this. The quality of phonics learning has improved. Expectations are higher and regular support is given to pupils who need this extra help.

More pupils in Year 1 are now achieving well in reading. Reading outcomes at key stage 2 are below national expectations, especially for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have identified that the reading curriculum beyond Year 1 does not build well on pupils' more recent strong start.

Pupils do not have sufficient opportunity to develop their fluency and comprehension skills.

The newly implemented writing curriculum focuses on inspiring pupils to write, using high-quality texts. However, pupils' understanding of the basic skills in writing, such as letter formation, are less secure.

This is because the school has not ensured that these are taught systematically from the early years.

The school swiftly identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They access an ambitious curriculum that enables them to learn successfully alongside their peers.

Plans to support these pupils contain clear targets. This provides staff with the information they need to provide effective support.

Children in the early years enjoy their learning.

Staff and children share positive relationships. The learning environment, particularly outdoors, is not yet planned with sufficient purpose. This means that learning is not always well matched to children's varying needs and the curriculum.

Some children do not fully make the progress of which they are capable. Leaders are aware of this and have sought external advice to develop this further.

Pupils know what is expected of their behaviour and conduct.

The behaviour policy outlines expectations clearly and children behave very well in lessons. A lack of clarity and consistency at unstructured times has led to some pupils behaving less well than they do in class. However, pupils' behaviour often improves in direct response to rewards and consequences.

The school's previous work to promote pupils' personal and character development has resulted in gaps in pupils' learning. Leaders have begun to make improvements to the opportunities they offer. For example, they have introduced a new personal, social and health education curriculum.

This underpins the school values and teaches pupils the importance of respect for others and the importance of good behaviour for everyone's safety and well-being.

The new leadership team has driven rapid and sustained change in all areas, with skill and determination. As a result, the education provided is having more of a positive impact on pupils' learning.

Most parents and carers have recognised these improvements. Staff are extremely positive about the support they receive from leaders. Governors are aware of their statutory responsibilities.

They use their skill and experience to provide appropriate challenge and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school's systems to check what pupils know and have remembered over time do not provide staff with sufficient information to be able to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge effectively.

This makes it difficult for staff to check and help pupils learn the intended curriculum securely. The school should ensure its systems enable staff to evaluate the impact of the curriculum on pupils' learning and address any gaps effectively. The school's revised reading curriculum beyond early reading and phonics is in the very early stages of being implemented.

Pupils do not build successfully on their phonics knowledge to develop fluency and comprehension. The school should ensure that the revised reading curriculum supports pupils across the school to read fluently and with understanding effectively. ? The English curriculum does not set out well enough the basic skills for writing, beginning in the early years.

As a result, pupils are not able to write with accuracy. The school should ensure that the curriculum identifies these basic skills from the early years clearly and progressively so that pupils build fluency in the basic skills and are able to write independently with confidence and fluency over time. ? Behaviour during unstructured times does not always meet the same high standard as inside the classroom.

Staff members' expectations of behaviour at these times are inconsistent. As a result, some pupils demonstrate behaviour that falls below that expected by leaders. The school should ensure that all staff have the skills and expertise to demonstrate consistent expectations of behaviour throughout the school day.