Scarcroft Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Scarcroft Primary School are safe and happy.

Leaders expect pupils to 'be ready, be respectful, be safe'. Pupils generally do this well. Behaviour in lessons is usually calm and focused.

However, this is not consistent. Leaders are addressing pockets of poor behaviour. Pupils report their concerns about behaviour.

Teachers manage behaviour incidents quickly and effectively. At social times, pupils play well together. Bullying is very rare.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Pupils access an appropriately ambitious curriculum relative to their needs. They are nurtured.

Other pupils a...re supportive of their peers with SEND. There is a strong sense of community.

Leaders are deeply committed to preparing pupils for life in modern Britain.

Their philosophy is based on the idea of 'Developing All of Me.' There is a vast range of wider opportunities available. Leaders ensure pupils develop as active citizens.

For example, pupils support the local foodbank and regularly take part in charity fundraising.

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

Curriculum planning is detailed and well sequenced. Core knowledge is revisited to help pupils remember important ideas.

Subject leadership is strong. Teachers address misconceptions and scaffold learning effectively, especially for pupils with SEND. Some pupils are not moved on as quickly and effectively as they could be.

In some subjects, such as art, teachers use assessment well. They identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and know what pupils need to learn next. However, assessment is not used well consistently.

Leaders have identified the need to develop this.

Leaders have developed 'the nest' in school This welcoming space is used to support pupils with SEND, including those with complex needs. This is a highly effective approach.

Pupils who need extra support get the help they need. In mainstream lessons, pupils with SEND keep up well. Teachers know how to support them academically and socially.

Children learn to read quickly. Staff follow a consistent approach to teaching early reading. The books pupils read match the sounds they know.

However, in some phonics lessons, pupils struggle to remain attentive. Teachers are not consistent in insisting lesson routines are followed.

The early years staff are highly knowledgeable and ambitious for children's learning.

Curriculum planning covers the important areas of learning that children need. Children are prepared extremely well for Year 1. Teachers design activities that children access independently well.

These activities build on the teacher-led sessions. Children are immersed in learning and enjoy the tasks set. Adults take every opportunity to develop pupils use of language.

Children remember the planned curriculum.

The chief executive officer (CEO), trustees and governors are highly knowledgeable and deeply committed to the school. There is a positive ethos and collaborative way of working between all senior leaders.

This is allowing for the rapid development of middle leaders. Staff highly value the training opportunities available to them. Staff feel workload is well managed.

Morale is very high.

The curriculum for pupils' personal, social and health education (PSHE) is thoughtfully planned. However, there is variability in how well pupils remember aspects of the PSHE curriculum.

Pupils know how to stay safe, including online. They are less secure in their understanding of fundamental British values, such as democracy.

Pupils experience educational visits at least one per term.

These visits are deliberately planned to build on what pupils learn within the curriculum. Leaders ensure they are developing pupils' individual interests and talents. Leaders collate information about pupils' interests.

They use this information to help decide what extra-curricular clubs to offer pupils. The clubs are rotated each term, so that pupils have regular opportunities to learn new skills. The 'about me' displays in each classroom also promote pupils' interests and celebrate their achievements.

All pupils participate in regular debates and discussions as part of the planned curriculum. This helps pupils to build skills in explaining their ideas clearly and appropriately.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are extremely knowledgeable. They know local families well and offer early help when needed. Staff are trained well.

They know how to identify pupils who might be at risk of harm. Staff report all concerns, however minor, to leaders. Leaders act on concerns quickly and effectively.

They stay in close contact with other agencies, including the local police, to ensure they are aware of emerging risks to pupils. The designated safeguarding lead carries out regular reviews to ensure best practice is being followed.

Checks are carried out to ensure staff and visitors are appropriately vetted before they are allowed into school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not use assessment consistently well to identify pupils' current un-derstanding and what they should learn next. On occasion, the work that is set does not match pupils' learning needs. Leaders should further develop assess-ment strategies to ensure staff know pupils' starting points and know when to move them on across the curriculum.

• Sometimes, staff do not maintain the highest expectations of pupils' behaviour in lessons. In these lessons, pupils do not focus as well as they could. Leaders should continue to embed strategies to improve pupils' behaviour and raise staff expectations, so that they are consistently high.