Silverdale Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Silverdale Primary is a warm and caring school. Staff and pupils are kind and thoughtful towards each other.

The school motto, 'The best in everyone', reflects its inclusive nature.

Pupils say they enjoy coming to school. They say everyone is equal and everyone is welcome.

The school has high expectations of how well all pupils behave and achieve.

Pupils are well supported, both academically and emotionally. They enjoy their learning, work hard and are doing well across the curriculum.

Pupils behave well in and out of class, rarely disrupting learning or being unkind.

The school helps them learn to improve their behaviour in a posit...ive way if they fall short of expectations. Staff reinforce manners and respect at the earliest opportunities. This permeates throughout the school.

Pupils say that bullying rarely happens, but when it does, staff deal with it effectively.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding and well-being across the school. Staff and pupils talk about the school having a 'family feel'.

They feel supported and encouraged to be able to succeed. Parents and carers agree. They are very supportive of the school and its ethos.

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

Reading is a priority at this school. Children learn to enjoy playing with rhythm and rhyme in Nursery before moving on to understanding that letters make sounds. Pupils become familiar with the sounds letters make and how to blend these into words and sentences in Reception.

Teachers routinely check the sounds that pupils know. They give extra support through 'catch up' and 'keep up' interventions where needed. Adults select books for children which only contain the sounds they know.

This means they develop into fluent readers. In Year 2, the focus successfully shifts to fluency and comprehension.

There is a love of reading at this school.

All pupils have access to a wide range of books to read and enjoy. The school helps pupils enjoy visits to both the school and local library. Class books develop pupils' understanding of different styles and authors.

This encourages all pupils to read regularly, both independently and with adults.

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils' needs are identified accurately and this knowledge is used to put effective support in place.

A detailed, well-organised curriculum is in place. Learning builds over time from Nursery through to Year 6. Teachers know what to teach and in what order.

The trust provides effective support that ensures that teachers know and understand the content of their lessons. However, sometimes teacher input is not effective for all pupils. This means that some pupils struggle to remember key knowledge.

They lose track of what it is they are learning. Despite this, pupils have positive attitudes to their learning.

Experiences, trips and visits are in place and enhance the curriculum.

For example, Year 2 visited a local mine as part of their study of local history. Pupils enjoy these opportunities and come to life as they talk about their experiences.

In the early years, the children get off to a positive start.

Teachers provide activities that are well matched to children's need. Staff model effective communication, supporting children to develop language and independence. This results in high-quality interactions.

For example, children making ice cream in the mud kitchen ask: 'What flavour would you prefer?' The classroom and the outdoor environment are engaging. Children are happy and thriving.

The curriculum provides meaningful opportunities for pupils to be responsible citizens.

There is a strong emphasis on relationships and character development. Pupils understand equality of opportunity and diversity, stating: 'It's about someone's attitude, not their gender.' This means that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Some pupils are less able to make connections between healthy eating, active lifestyles and keeping mentally healthy. Pupils also found it more difficult to talk about the opportunities to develop their own talents and interests.

The school provides staff with effective support and training.

The trust implements and coordinates this very well. Staff say their workload and well-being are considered. They welcome development opportunities and benefit from this support.

As a result, staff feel valued and are proud to work here.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes teacher input in lessons does not meet the needs of all pupils.

This means that some pupils struggle to remember key subject knowledge and do not achieve as much as they could. The school should ensure that teachers are able to deliver the specific content pupils need to know in a way that helps them remember it. ? Connections to prior learning in some subjects are not always made explicit to pupils.

In some subjects, in the wider curriculum, pupils do not always make connections to prior learning to help with new learning. The school should ensure that teachers make clear and precise connections with prior learning in all areas of the curriculum to enable all pupils to make the intended progress..

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