Sandcross Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Children settle quickly into the Early Years Foundation Stage and learn quickly because : members of staff work well as a team to provide exciting activities that encourage children to become inquisitive and independent. Pupils make good progress across the school and attainment has risen to above average by the end of Year 2 and is rising quickly in the rest of the school. Pupils from differing starting points acquire knowledge rapidly in a wide range of subjects.

Teaching is good and probing questioning and interesting activities are used well to promote good learning. Pupils are polite and considerate and keen to learn. They are sensitive towar...ds the needs of others and feel safe and free from any form of bullying.

Senior leaders, including the governing body, have high expectations for the school. Teaching and pupils' achievement are improving rapidly because leaders and the rest of the staff are focused on the next steps to improve the school further. The school is calm and runs smoothly despite the extensive building work that is taking place.

An improved curriculum that links subjects together is popular with the pupils and makes learning more meaningful and interesting. It is not yet an outstanding school because : In a few lessons, during whole-class discussions, learning is not rapid for all pupils when they are not fully involved or supported in listening to each other's ideas. Middle leaders are not ensuring that teachers are always adapting year group planning within each lesson to match pupils' differing needs more closely.

Opportunities are missed in the Early Years Foundation Stage to raise the profile of writing because there are not enough good opportunities for writing when children are learning outside.

Information about this school

Sandcross Primary School and Nursery is a much larger than average-sized primary school. There is an above average proportion of pupils who are supported through school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a morning or afternoon Nursery class and in two Reception classes. Pupils in the Nursery to Year 2 are currently being taught in a separate building half a mile away.

There has been considerable ongoing building work, so that all pupils can be taught on the same site in the near future. There is high inward mobility of pupils, with significant groups of children joining the school other than at the usual times in the Nursery, Reception and Year 3 classes. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.