Shiney Row Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Shiney Row Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Senior leaders, governors and staff are ambitious for every pupil at school. They have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and learning. Pupils respond keenly.

Their behaviour and attitudes to learning are admirable. Leaders ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to be ready for the next stage of their education.

Pupils help each other.

There is very little bullying or unkind name-calling. Pupils feel safe. Staff teach children to be kind as soon as they start school.

Children in the early years are encouraged to take turns and share; they learn how to pl...ay kindly with others.

One pupil described the school by saying, 'Our school is like a full heart because everybody is friendly and kind.' The positive school ethos is evident in the strong relationships that pupils have with their teachers and classmates.

Parents also hold positive views of the school.

Pupils have extensive opportunities out of lessons to be healthy, active and to enrich their learning. At lunchtime, pupils play basketball and football.

They wear watches that let them know how much they have exercised. Pupils have a wealth of opportunities to go on school trips and attend school clubs. Pupils talk with excitement about the rugby they have been playing and the change for life club where some pupils have made tasty fruit snacks.

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

Leaders, including governors, know the school well. They systematically address areas for improvement. The headteacher has focused well on developing leadership at all levels, despite the challenges that COVID-19 has presented.

This has led to improvements in subjects such as reading and mathematics in a short space of time. Staff speak highly of the way leaders have regard for their workload.

Subject leaders have regular professional development opportunities that help them to plan and implement a well-considered curriculum for each subject.

Recent training has focused on how the curriculum is sequenced for history. Teachers have looked at the knowledge and skills pupils will learn from early years to Year 6. Teachers plan work accordingly and identify activities and resources that develop and build pupils' learning.

Reading is a high priority for leaders. Every day there is time for pupils to read a book. Around the school, high-quality books entice pupils to read.

Staff have had regular training to help them to teach reading well. As a result, children in the early years get off to a good start in learning to read. Teachers ensure that pupils have books that match the sounds they already know.

This helps them to develop confidence and fluency in reading. Teachers quickly identify if pupils develop gaps in their reading knowledge. Those pupils who require additional help to read receive the support they need.

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported throughout school. Governors work with leaders to ensure the needs of these pupils are well met. Teachers have a good understanding of the needs of different pupils.

They are guided by detailed pupil plans and knowledgeable leaders. Pupils with SEND are successful and learn well alongside their peers.

The mathematics curriculum builds on what pupils have learned before.

In the early years, teachers introduce children to mathematical language straight away. Regular practice and time to recap prior knowledge help pupils to remember what they have been taught. This helps pupils to become skilful mathematicians.

Teachers encourage pupils to explain their reasoning in mathematics lessons. Pupils are not afraid to make mistakes. Teachers use a range of resources to clearly illustrate mathematical concepts.

This helps pupils to quickly grasp new learning.

In most subjects, teachers assess what pupils know effectively. Leaders have recently introduced a new history curriculum.

Teachers' checks on what pupils know and remember in history are less developed. This means that teachers sometimes do not identify gaps in pupils' knowledge.

All staff are highly committed to the school's programme for pupils' personal development.

Pupils enjoy contributing to the school community by helping in the school grounds and taking leadership roles in anti-bullying and on the school council. Pupils believe everyone should be treated the same. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural activities are of a high quality.

Leaders provide many opportunities to develop pupils' understanding of British values and the world around them. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They celebrate festivals like the Houghton Feast and family events.

The curriculum is enhanced with visits to museums and local beaches.

Some pupils do not attend school often enough. Leaders are taking some action to address this.

However, the number of pupils who are persistently absent remains high.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive training that enables them to identify any pupils who may need help.

Leaders take suitable action when this is the case. Pupils feel confident about telling a trusted adult in school about any concerns they may have.

Safeguarding leaders work effectively with external agencies to provide support for children and families to protect those at risk of harm.

Leaders ensure that appropriate checks are undertaken of adults who work in the school.

Pupils learn about safety in the curriculum, including the risks associated with fire, roads and personal safety, as well as the dangers of using the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A revised curriculum for history has been recently introduced.

Some older pupils who have not benefited from this stronger curriculum have gaps in their knowledge of history. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment well to identify and address the gaps in pupils' history knowledge. ? Rates of persistent absence are high.

Some pupils miss out on important learning. Leaders should ensure that pupils' attendance improves and the number of pupils who are persistently absent reduces.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged school to be good in September 2012.