Sandy Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Sandy Lane Primary School is a happy place in which to learn. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

They attend regularly and on time. They feel safe and well cared for by adults. The school enriches pupils' lives with a wide range of activities and experiences.

The school's mission statement of 'fulfilling potential, unlocking opportunity and no one left behind' is central to the work of the entire school community.

Adults at the school foster positive and respectful relationships with pupils. Everybody matters at Sandy Lane.

Pupils greet visitors with friendly smiles and are polite and welcoming. Parents appreciate the warmth and support from leaders and ...staff.

Leaders have high expectations for every child.

Most pupils work hard and behave well in lessons. Pupils experience a varied curriculum. However, in writing and mathematics, pupils' attainment at the end of key stage 2 is below expected levels.

Leaders have made recent improvements to the curriculum to address this.

Playtimes are fun, with activities and an opportunity to socialise with friends. Pupils say that bullying can happen.

When it does, adults sort it out successfully. Adults support pupils with friendship issues when they occur. Pupils value the wider opportunities on offer.

There are a range of after-school clubs to choose from. Pupils enjoy special events, such as charity fundraising. They look forward to school visits, including residential opportunities.'

Magic Mondays' are popular with pupils, as they take part in a creative start to the week.

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

The curriculum matches the scope of the expectations of the national curriculum and is ambitious for all pupils. The school has designed learning to engage pupils through a 'big idea' and overarching themes.

The curriculum is well sequenced in most subjects. Pupils make connections in their learning and build on their understanding. Leaders have planned educational visits, such as to Skipton Castle, carefully, to bring learning to life.

In some subjects, such as mathematics, leaders have identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and when this should be taught. However, in some other subjects, such as history, this knowledge is not detailed enough. Staff do not have the information they need to identify and address gaps in pupils' understanding quickly and effectively.

Teachers design learning that meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, in mathematics, teachers model learning in small steps, using concrete materials to support understanding. Most staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

Pupils have a positive attitude to their learning and take pride in their work.Leaders have prioritised the teaching of early reading. They understand the importance of all pupils becoming confident, fluent readers as quickly as possible.

The school uses a systematic programme to teach early reading. Phonics is taught from the beginning of Reception, to ensure children get off to a strong start. Pupils' reading books are closely matched to the sounds they know.

They take books home regularly to practise the sounds they have learned. Leaders have provided phonics training for staff. However, further training is needed to ensure that phonics is taught consistently well across the school.

The school has a carefully considered personal development curriculum. Pupils learn how to live healthy lifestyles. Pupils have a secure understanding of the fundamental British values.

They believe in treating people fairly. They are tolerant of differences between people. The curriculum ensures pupils can keep themselves safe online.

Pupils can confidently describe the features of healthy and unhealthy relationships. Nurture groups are available for pupils who would benefit from pastoral support. Leaders ensure that pupils get the opportunity to develop their talents and interests, signposting them to outside organisations such as football clubs.

In the early years, children get off to a positive start. The early years curriculum prepares children well for the next stage of their education. The areas in which children learn are purposefully designed.

Children access these areas independently. Children cooperate well with each other and happily share resources with friends.During independent learning times, teachers and teaching assistants model vocabulary and language.

However, the school has not identified the specific vocabulary that children should develop to support later curriculum learning.

Governors carry out their statutory duties effectively. They know the school well and make visits to it to monitor the impact of improvements.

Governors challenge and support leaders to continually improve the school. Staff feel valued and appreciate the efforts of leaders to support their workload and well-being.

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 has not precisely identified the small steps of learning and when these should be taught. As a result, teachers do not have the information they need to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school needs to ensure that subject leaders identify this important knowledge clearly so that pupils develop secure subject knowledge over time.

• The teaching of early reading is inconsistent. Pupils who fall behind in their reading do not benefit from consistent levels of support to help them catch up quickly. The school should ensure that all staff receive the training and support they need to teach all elements of the phonics programme well.