Shaugh Prior Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Shaugh Prior is a friendly and welcoming village school. Pupils enjoy great friendships with pupils across the school.

New pupils are warmly welcomed by their classmates. Pupils feel safe at Shaugh Prior.

In class, at lunch and break times, pupils behave well.

Pupils say that bullying is not common. However, a few older pupils show little tolerance of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some parents also expressed concerns about this.

At times, pupils who join the school struggle initially. However, through the efforts of federation and school staff, they now cope well.

The many visits, clubs, sporting activitie...s, competitions and federation events provide a broad range of opportunities for pupils.

However, there are few leadership opportunities for pupils.

Leaders have started to address the shortcomings identified at the previous inspection. However, due to staff absence, these have not progressed quickly enough.

Improvements to curriculum plans and teaching have not been realised. As a result, pupils struggle to remember much of what has been covered.

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

Staff have responded positively following the previous inspection.

They have strengthened the teaching of reading in some areas. For example, younger pupils make strong progress in their phonic knowledge. Pupils in key stage 1 read well.

However, pupils in both key stage 1 and 2 do not have a secure enough understanding of some texts. Teaching does not enable pupils to understand a range of texts in English and in other subjects, such as religious education or geography.

When planning subjects, other than English and mathematics, leaders have not ensured that new learning links to what pupils have learned before.

Additionally, teaching often moves too quickly to complex ideas and does not give pupils sufficient time to practise new learning. Consequently, pupils struggle to recall recently taught content. In contrast, where plans are well-considered and taught effectively, such as in music, pupils recall their learning and perform new tunes harmoniously.

Teachers are still getting to grips with many of the new plans for different subjects and how to adapt them for their classes. This is complicated further by the gaps pupils have in their knowledge, following lockdowns due to COVID-19. While pupils are starting to catch up on lost learning, too often, teachers do not teach some subjects well.

This is also seen in Reception. New approaches to finding out what pupils know and how much they remember do not work as well as leaders intended.

Learning is rarely disrupted and pupils are attentive.

However, pupils do not take enough pride in their work. Sometimes, work is incomplete or incorrect.

The school has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils with SEND.

Staff help pupils who struggle to manage their social interactions or emotions well. However, for pupils with learning needs, staff do not support them well enough. This is because teaching staff do not follow the plans leaders have created with pupils and their parents closely enough.

Despite the teaching they receive on the topic, some pupils do not show respect or tolerance of pupils who find school life a challenge. There is a full personal, social and health programme in place. Pupils gain an insight into world religions but little on different cultures.

Governors have not been clear enough in setting out their vision and expectations for this school. Nonetheless, staff are positive about working at the school. Overall, they feel well supported and valued by federation leaders.

Some staff expressed concern about heavy workload associated with teaching several year groups. Leaders are aware of this and have started to provide some shared resources to reduce workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are trained well in the risks that pupils may face. They spot possible indicators and follow these up with the safeguarding leaders. In turn, leaders work well with the local authority and support services to ensure families receive the help they need.

Pupils are knowledgeable about the risks they may face, including when they are online. Through the teaching they receive, they know what makes healthy relationships.

Although the required checks are carried out to confirm the suitability of staff, these are not always completed before they start work.

Also, some risk assessments are not in place to ensure that pupils' safety is first and foremost in leaders' and governors' minds. Leaders are updating their training to make sure they follow the latest guidance fully.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The teaching of reading has not yet developed strong comprehension skills.

This means that pupils do not understand fully what they have read. Teachers should ensure that pupils gain sufficient knowledge from their studies in the wider curriculum and in English lessons to support their understanding of the texts they read. ? Leaders have not ensured that staff are secure in their own subject knowledge and how to teach the curriculum well.

Consequently, teaching does not build on pupils' existing knowledge and ensure they remember new learning. As a result, pupils do not make the progress they should in several subjects. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans, including those in the early years, identify the component knowledge clearly and that they support teachers by sharing effective pedagogical strategies.

• Safeguarding arrangements are not as tight as they need to be. When recruiting staff, leaders have not ensured that all checks and risk assessments are complete prior to staff starting in post. Leaders should ensure that pre-appointment checks and risk assessments are carried out in good time.

• Some pupils do not appreciate the needs of pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils lack respect for other pupils who find school more difficult to manage. Leaders should develop the personal development curriculum further to develop pupils' understanding of pupils' additional needs and disabilities.