Smallwood Primary School and Language Unit

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and are safe. They value their teachers and describe them as kind. Teachers are encouraging.

They have high aspirations for all pupils and make it possible for them to succeed in their learning.

Pupils know what bullying is. Although it does take place, staff treat it seriously, and it is rarely repeated.

Behaviour in class is calm. Any low-level disruption is dealt with swiftly and appropriately.

The school is inclusive and attracts a high number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), both in the language unit and in the mainstream classrooms.

Staff expertly tailor help for these p...upils to meet their needs. Pupils from the language unit have daily interactions with their peers in the mainstream classrooms.

Leaders have made a commitment that all pupils will represent their school in a sporting event at least once during their time at the school.

Leaders carefully choose sports coaches to help pupils prepare for a range of competitions.

Pupils enjoy their school visits. They recently enjoyed trips to the London Eye, Big Ben and the Wimbledon History Museum.

They enjoy cultivating vegetables in their school allotment which are used for school dinners.

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

Since the last inspection, leaders have prioritised improving the quality of teaching in reading, writing and mathematics. In phonics, they have clarified expectations.

Consequently, there is a consistent approach. Pupils engage well in phonics lessons. Staff adjust lessons for any pupils who are falling behind.

These pupils also receive extra help through interventions, as well as one-to-one reading with an adult. In the language unit, staff make appropriate adaptations during phonics lessons for all pupils, dependent on their needs. Adults who read with pupils are skilled.

In the early years, staff make sure the environment is language rich. Teachers promote a love of reading across the school. Pupils are keen to talk about their favourite books and authors.

In mathematics, lessons are well sequenced and help develop pupils' knowledge over time. Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their fluency by recapping and revisiting key knowledge. In the early years, children engage in a range of purposeful mathematics-rich activities.

Teachers regularly test pupils' recall of key facts.

Some subjects in the wider curriculum, such as physical education and religious education, are better developed than others. In these subjects, leaders have identified key knowledge and skills.

Concepts are revisited at a higher level as pupils progress through school. In religious education, for example, pupils regularly revisit the six chosen world religions during their time in school. They develop their understanding of each faith and can discuss similarities as well as differences.

In a few subjects, the exact knowledge and steps within each topic are not always clear. This leads to pupils not always learning knowledge securely or in the right order. In history and geography, for example, teachers are able to choose the content they teach when covering the Anglo-Saxons or Ancient Egypt.

Pupils sometimes struggle to recall any key facts about the topics they have studied.

In art, the curriculum has significantly developed over the last two years. Staff provide pupils with opportunities to develop their skills and experiences.

Pupils have sufficient opportunities to learn about the history of art. Their sketchbooks show that pupils are improving in art over time. Leaders must now clarify the key knowledge and skills pupils need to remember in each unit of work.

Staff assess pupils across the curriculum regularly. They assess mainly during lessons and more formally three times a year. Clear systems are in place to identify pupils with SEND.

Leaders engage with outside agencies well. They make sure they are aware of the most appropriate and up-to-date interventions. They put them in place to help pupils meet their targets.

Pupils know their school's values and regularly reflect on them. They make links to them in their learning. They understand democracy and are given opportunities to practise it at school.

Most pupils are polite and courteous. They talk about their aspirations and are keen to discuss the school committees they are all part of. Through their work in their committees, they raise awareness of important environmental issues.

They collaborate and celebrate each other's differences.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They have enormous faith in the school leaders.

They are keen to promote the school and point out the progress made since the last inspection. Staff are also proud of the school. They feel supported and listened to.

Leaders, including governors, look out for their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive regular safeguarding training.

They know how to use the school's online systems and report any concerns when they arise. Leaders guide families to access the help they need. They refer concerns to the local authority and engage with external agencies.

Pupils are taught how to keep safe online. They learn about positive relationships. Older pupils are taught about how to manage their move to secondary school.

Governors receive regular updates on safeguarding. They check that systems are in place and that the recruitment of new staff follows safer recruitment guidelines.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have focused on improving reading, writing and mathematics across the school.

These subjects are being delivered well and pupils are making good or better progress. They have begun their work on the other subjects, but the curriculum is not sufficiently well planned and sequenced in all of them. However, it is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing this about.

Leaders need to complete the process of reviewing the curriculum in all subjects within their identified timescale. They must support teachers in their delivery of the curriculum so that pupils will confidently know and remember more in these subjects. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.

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