Sharpness Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being at this school. They feel safe and well looked after.

They enjoy the range of exciting learning activities and after-school clubs. Staff encourage pupils to be physically and mentally fit and healthy. Pupils love running the fitness daily mile and enjoy the thrilling cheerleading sessions.

Pupils are guided by the school values of 'SHARP', which stands for 'successful – happy – ambitious – responsible – proud'. Pupils show real respect for others. They are tolerant and accept each other's differences.

Behaviour in and around school is good. Pupils are well mannered and polite. They greet adults cheerily and show respect by standing back for... adults at doors and entrances.

Pupils say bullying rarely happens. Parents and staff agree. They say that they can rely on adults to sort out problems with friendships.

They know they can turn to an adult to support them at any time if they have any worries.

Pupils engage well with their learning. They love to be challenged.

Pupils can concentrate on their learning in class with very little distraction. They play a full part in the life of the school. They enjoy helping each other.

This includes the pupil librarians. They encourage all pupils to read regularly and to use the school library.

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

The headteacher encourages a strong set of school values.

There is a committed and passionate staff team whose members work well together and learn from each other. They share high expectations and ambitions for each child. School leaders know the strengths and areas for development of the school well.

The curriculum is well designed and clearly sets out the steps towards ongoing learning in each subject. Staff know what pupils need to know and remember across the curriculum. In the early years, children learn well from a carefully sequenced curriculum and appropriate adult support.

Leaders have recently reviewed the curriculum in some subjects, for example in history. Pupils have not worked through the sequences of learning in these subjects. This means pupils have some gaps in their knowledge.

There is a new assessment system in place for teachers to check what pupils know, can do and remember. However, teachers have not always used the information from their checks to accurately identify the gaps in knowledge or carefully plan the next steps for learning in these subjects.

Staff spot quickly those pupils who fall behind.

They ensure that pupils receive appropriate additional classroom support, or specific help, to catch up. Staff identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. Their needs are considered carefully by the special educational needs coordinator and school staff.

Staff regularly monitor and review support plans to check that the right support is in place to help pupils.

The school prioritises reading and fosters a love of reading in the pupils. Pupils love listening to their teachers read the class novel.

The teaching of phonics starts when children join the school in the early years. Pupils sound out the letters correctly. They put the sounds together to read well.

This is having a good impact on their reading development.

Pupils understand and respect how staff help and encourage them to behave. Pupils say that when their behaviour falls short of expectation, staff expect them to 'make up for it'.

Pupils' personal development is well nurtured. Staff encourage pupils to be responsible and respectful citizens. For example, pupils learn important life skills, such as first aid.

Leaders promote fundamental British values alongside the school values. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures, although the curriculum for this aspect is less well developed than in other places. Pupils learn to respect differences.

Staff encourage pupils to eat healthily and to be physically active. They know what makes a healthy relationship. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe outside of school.

They understand about the dangers of drug misuse and how to stay safe when online.

Governors know the school's strengths and areas for development well. They have a clear and realistic vision for the future.

Governors check that the correct improvements to the quality of education are made swiftly. Governors support and challenge the headteacher well.

The headteacher carefully considers staff workload.

Staff feel that their well-being is taken into account. Staff feel that leaders do not ask them to complete tasks that are unnecessary or take a lot of time. Staff say they can approach the headteacher, who always supports them with sensitivity.

Pupils attend school regularly. Leaders regularly monitor attendance and follow up on any issues.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff receive appropriate training to help them recognise pupils at risk of harm. Pupils are well looked after.

They feel safe in school.There are checks in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with pupils. Leaders refer concerns about pupils' safety or well-being promptly to outside agencies.

The headteacher is vigilant in following up action.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The broader curriculum has not been fully implemented. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

Leaders need to ensure that teachers use information gathered from assessment to plan next steps in learning based on what pupils know, can do and remember across the curriculum. ? The curriculum to teach pupils an understanding of religious and cultural diversity is underdeveloped in places. Leaders should plan a coherent, wide and rich curriculum in this area to further enhance pupils' knowledge and understanding.

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