Silver Springs Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Silver Springs sits at the core of the community. Pupils are accepting of others. Pupils said that there are no outsiders in this school.

Everybody is welcome. Pupils are well prepared to be future citizens.

Pupils behave well most of the time.

They respond well to staff's high expectations. Pupils are polite and friendly. In class, they are patient and respond keenly to adults' questions.

Staff deal well with any bullying, teasing or name-calling effectively. Pupils understand leaders' 'SHINE' values and live up to these.

Pupils, including children in the early years, are happy at school.

They enjoy their learning in different subj...ects. Staff teach them about how to stay safe in a range of situations. Pupils feel safe in school.

Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils achieve well in a range of subjects. Leaders have high expectations that all pupils should be able to ride a bicycle safely.

British Cycling has been involved in developing pupils' cycling skills.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious and balanced curriculum. The curriculum in most subjects is well ordered so as to help pupils, and children in the early years, build their knowledge gradually.

Over time, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, gain deeper knowledge across a broad range of subjects. Leaders have placed reading and mathematics, and digital excellence, at the heart of the curriculum.

Children in the early years develop an appreciation of language and reading.

They join in enthusiastically when teachers read to them. This love of reading continues through the school. Teachers make sure that pupils learn the phonics knowledge that they need to become successful readers.

Almost all pupils become confident, fluent readers. Pupils who fall behind in reading are identified swiftly and receive support that helps them to catch up quickly. Across the school, pupils read widely and often.

Across the school, teachers provide effective support so that children in the early years and pupils in Years 1 to 6 learn the small chunks of knowledge that they need for later learning. This helps pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve well in a range of subjects. In most subjects, the order in which teachers cover subject content is logical.

However, in a small number of subjects, the order of knowledge is not as well thought out. In these subjects, pupils' knowledge and skills are not as secure as they should be.

In many subjects, teachers check pupils' knowledge well.

They regularly find out what pupils know and remember. This includes pupils' knowledge of vocabulary. Teachers use this information to design effective future learning.

However, in a few subjects, leaders are not clear what pupils already know and what they can do. As a result, teachers are less able to design learning that helps pupils to build on what they already know. This hinders some pupils' progress.

Pupils behave well in lessons. They work quietly and respond well to teachers' questions. Most pupils agreed that they can get on with their work and can concentrate in lessons.

This means that staff teach with few interruptions. In the Nursery and Reception classes, children show high levels of motivation and concentration.

Across the school, pupils have a strong understanding of right and wrong.

They understand what is fair and unfair. They work well with others. Pupils demonstrate well-developed social skills at breaktimes.

Leaders have ensured that pupils develop an effective cultural understanding of a range of artists and authors. Leaders prepare pupils for life in modern Britain very well. Pupils learn to value diversity and respect people who have different views to their own.

Pupils benefit from an effective relationships and health education programme.

Staff effectively identify any pupils or children who may have SEND. They assess each pupil's needs thoroughly.

This helps staff to give the support that these pupils need. Teachers make sure that, where possible, those pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as other pupils.

Leaders work well with parents, carers, other schools, the local authority and other trusts.

Leadership, including governance, has improved since the last inspection. The trust has helped to ensure that governors provide suitable challenge and support to school leaders. Parents hold the school in high regard.

Staff appreciate the support and guidance that they receive. For example, subject leaders spoke highly of the support that the trust provides, and how it helps them to improve how well they lead their subjects. Governors and senior leaders carefully consider staff workload when they make decisions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know children, pupils and their families very well. This helps to form strong and supportive relationships.

Leaders make sure that staff have the knowledge that they need to identify when a pupil or family might require help. Staff receive regular safeguarding updates.

Staff help pupils to learn about risks that they may face, such as domestic violence and sexual harassment.

Pupils also learn about the dangers of working online. When required, leaders work well with a range of agencies to quickly get the help that pupils need to be safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small number of subjects, leaders have not ensured that the curriculum builds pupils' knowledge and skills in a logical way.

In these subjects, pupils' learning is not as secure as it should be. Leaders should ensure that the knowledge outlined in these curriculums is ordered well so that pupils can build securely on what they know and remember. ? In a few subjects, leaders have not established sufficiently effective assessment systems.

This means that, at times, teachers do not have a clear understanding of what pupils already know or what they can do. As a result, pupils do not progress through the curriculum as well as they should in these subjects. Leaders should refine their assessment systems so that pupils can build on their prior learning.