Sarum St Paul’s CofE (VA) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They keenly welcome visitors. The school strives for all pupils to achieve well.

Pupils work to meet those expectations. The school builds a culture of inclusivity. For example, in lessons, pupils make sure their discussions and questions are inclusive of all.

They listen to one another and ensure all pupils can share their ideas. Pupils demonstrate the school's values of 'loving to learn' through their enthusiasm to discuss their learning.

Pupils look after one another with consideration.

For example, older pupils greet children when they arrive in the early years. They help the children get ready to begin their day.... Pupils are respectful towards one another.

Friendship resolution training helps pupils to manage any rare issues that arise. They are confident that adults will help them when they need it. As a result, pupils feel safe and nurtured.

The school meaningfully plans for pupils' personal development throughout every aspect of school life. Pupils reflect on equality and respect with maturity. They have a thoughtful understanding of others.

Staff model the school's values. Pupils enact these through their attitudes. They carry out their many pupil leadership roles with responsibility, confidence and enthusiasm.

Pupils value how their contributions shape the school.

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. Careful thought has been given to the knowledge that pupils will need to acquire at each point of their journey through the curriculum.

In the Reception Year, children learn the important knowledge to prepare them for their next steps. For example, staff use materials and shapes as prompts to enable children to develop the quality of their descriptions. This helps children to become adept at composing and writing their sentences.

In most subjects, teachers check how well pupils have remembered and can apply their learning. Teachers often use strategies such as revisiting and questioning to check and develop pupils' understanding. On these occasions, pupils develop secure knowledge and know what they need to do next to improve.

However, in a small number of subjects, the school has not ensured that the checks on how well pupils have learned the curriculum over time are closely matched to what they have learned. Furthermore, some pupils spend time learning what they already know well. When this happens, those pupils do not move to more complex learning when they are ready to do so.

The school is meticulous in identifying the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff skilfully adapt learning for pupils with SEND, and these pupils achieve well. The school hosts a resource base for pupils with a hearing impairment.

Staff ensure all pupils fully engage and learn with their peers.

The school teaches a reading programme deliberately chosen to support the pupils of this school. Staff check what sounds pupils know carefully.

They make sure pupils who are not secure in their letter sounds have additional support to help them build this knowledge.When pupils become more confident with their reading, the school helps them to develop their fluency and interest in a wide range of texts. The school is ambitious for pupils to have a love of reading.

This inspires pupils to talk enthusiastically about the books they read.

In lessons, pupils follow the routines for learning. The curriculum helps pupils to have a strong appreciation of fundamental British values and equalities.

For example, in history, older pupils eagerly discuss their learning about the Windrush generation and their views of discrimination. Pupils respond respectfully and with empathy to the experiences of others. They apply their learning well to their wider understanding of modern Britain.

Pupils relish the ways in which they actively contribute to the school and the wider community, for example through their involvement in a river rejuvenation project. Pupils are reflective and responsive about global affairs and how they can act as active citizens to help others. For example, they organised events that resulted in stationery and equipment being shared with a school in Kenya.

Pupils embrace the specialist curriculum weeks, such as creative arts week. The school invites musicians and artists to work with the pupils. These events provide rich, high-quality experiences for the pupils.

They use these experiences to develop their own interests and talents through many arts and sports opportunities.

The school works with external experts to help it to evaluate and review its provision. It acts quickly on feedback to inform school improvement.

The governing body is clear about the priorities of the school. It provides support and challenge to help the school. Staff are well supported with training and development.

The school values the strong ties it has with the wider school community. Parents and carers praise the vision, values and work of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a minority of subjects in the wider curriculum, the assessment of what pupils know and can remember is not carefully matched to the intended curriculum. This means assessment does not accurately check what pupils can recall of their learning. The school should ensure that staff use assessment to check what pupils have learned with greater accuracy.

• Sometimes, the learning activity for a few pupils does not build on what they already know and can do. When this happens, those pupils who are secure in their understanding do not move to new and more complex learning and knowledge in a timely way. The school needs to make sure the learning is well matched to what pupils already know and can do.

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