Somerdale Educate Together Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Somerdale Educate Together Primary Academy is a place where leaders, teachers and pupils live and breathe the values of the school. It is an inclusive school where pupils feel safe and happy. Pupils are kind and respectful to all around them.

Pupils say the best thing about the school is that 'no one is an outsider, and everyone is included'. Staff and pupils are proud to say that everyone's rights are respected.

Pupils have a good understanding of what it means to be tolerant.

They discuss this with maturity and confidence. Support for pupils' personal development is a strength of the school.

Pupils behave well.

They move around the school ...in a calm and orderly way. Pupils report bullying is rare. When it occurs, they say it is sorted out.

Parents and carers wholeheartedly agree that the school is welcoming and caring. One parent, typical of many, stated that pupils 'are made to feel safe and important'.

Pupils know that their voice matters.

They have many opportunities to contribute to school life, such as consulting with the chef on the school's dinner menu. Carefully planned visits, visitors and themed days help bring learning to life. Pupils are encouraged to be confident and curious learners.

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

Leaders are ambitious for the pupils of Somerdale. They have planned a well-sequenced curriculum. Leaders have high expectations of what all pupils can achieve.

Subject leaders make sure that teachers know what to teach so pupils gain knowledge and skills in each subject successfully. Pupils are well prepared to take their place in the world.

Teaching pupils to read well is a priority for the school.

Pupils in the Nursery develop early reading skills by learning about sounds and rhyme through songs and games. Pupils start to learn to read from the beginning of the Reception Year. There is a structured programme in place to teach phonics.

Staff are trained to teach this effectively. Pupils' phonics knowledge is checked regularly. Support for those who need additional practice is put in place quickly.

Teachers make sure pupils can read and comprehend their books successfully.

Staff promote a love of reading. Pupils have regular visits to the school library.

Books are selected to celebrate diversity and represent the world we live in. Pupils are familiar with a wide range of authors. High-quality books are recommended for each year group to read.

Pupils enjoy listening to stories read by their teachers. They comment on how the teachers bring the stories to life.

Leaders identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well.

Learning is broken down into small steps so pupils with SEND achieve well. Teachers, parents and pupils are involved at every stage of target setting and review. Leaders work with external agencies that support pupils' additional needs well.

The curriculum is ambitious and clearly sequenced. The mathematics curriculum sets out the key knowledge and skills pupils should learn. However, at times, the activities do not support and challenge some pupils' learning.

This occurs when teachers have not checked pupils' prior knowledge sufficiently well. Therefore, these pupils do not develop a depth of mathematical knowledge.

Pupils enjoy physical education (PE) lessons and say they keep them fit, strong and energised.

In history, pupils learn about key historical events. Older pupils have a detailed knowledge of the historical topics they have been taught. However, in some curriculum areas, such as geography and science, pupils' knowledge is not as secure.

Leaders have identified this. They are working with teachers to ensure that all curriculum areas are taught to a consistently high standard.

Leaders have recently introduced a new behaviour policy.

This is applied consistently across the school. In the early years, routines are established quickly. Children have a positive attitude to learning.

Pupils attend school regularly. Leaders have prioritised this, and systems are in place to support and challenge where pupils' attendance is lower than it should be.

Communication between home and school is effective.

Parents are well informed about their children's learning. For example, there are details of each class's learning on the website.

Governors support school leaders to make a positive difference to all pupils' lives.

For example, they check that the work to improve the school is on track and that pupils are safe and well cared for. Staff say that leaders are supportive and prioritise their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school has a strong safeguarding culture. Leaders ensure pupils stay safe. All staff are trained so they know what to do if they are worried about a child.

Leaders follow up on concerns that are raised with them straightaway. Governors regularly check that the systems in place to keep pupils safe are working. Safer recruitment is given high priority, and all checks are in place before staff start working in the school.

Pupils are taught how to stay safe online. This starts with the very youngest pupils as part of the computing curriculum. Pupils also take part in online safety events.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not identified the key concepts pupils need to know and remember. This has resulted in gaps in some pupils' knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all curriculums clearly identify the essential knowledge pupils need to learn.

• Teaching in some subjects is not consistently based on a secure assessment of what pupils already know. This can mean some curriculum goals are not challenging enough. Leaders need to ensure that staff use appropriate checks to establish what pupils already know in order to plan teaching that deepens pupils' knowledge.