South Stoke Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love their school.

They feel happy and safe. They are welcomed with thoughtful attention every day by staff who know them very well. One parent captured the views of many by commenting, 'The teachers know the children and there are deep-rooted connections between them.'

In lessons, pupils are kind and respectful. They take turns when working together and respond well to adults' high expectations. Pupils offer help to each other routinely.

Pupils communicate well. They enjoy sharing their opinions and contributing to class debates. Pupils develop confidence through these discussions and by taking part in events such as school council elections.
.../>Pupils take roles and responsibilities, such as school councillor, seriously. Staff listen to pupils' views regularly and consider these carefully.

Pupils develop knowledge of the school's values such as individuality and empathy.

They can explain how these are celebrated through assemblies and taught within the curriculum. Pupils appreciate school trips such as visiting the theatre and the trampoline park. They make good use of additional activities such as sports and computer clubs.

Pupils enjoy lessons. However, despite recent improvements, some curriculum subjects are not yet designed or implemented well enough. This means pupils do not learn as well as they should.

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

The curriculum in some subjects across the wider curriculum is not effective enough. The school has not identified the precise knowledge pupils will learn consistently clearly. Where this is the case, pupils do not build their knowledge securely, and staff do not check what pupils know effectively enough.

This leaves pupils with gaps in their knowledge and understanding. In contrast, in some key subjects such as English and mathematics, the curriculum is well designed and taught. Teachers make sure that pupils develop their knowledge and understanding progressively.

As a result, most pupils achieve well in these subjects by the end of key stage 2.

Pupils learn to read effectively. The school is ambitious for all pupils to read well.

Staff are trained to deliver the phonics scheme effectively. Children learn to read from the start of Reception and move through the phonics programme successfully. Reading books that pupils take home match the sounds that they have learned.

If any pupils fall behind, they get the support that they need to catch up quickly. Pupils enjoy story times and the opportunity to read to adults regularly. In the early years, early reading is taught systematically, which helps children to develop a love of reading.

Pupils are prepared well for secondary school and beyond.

The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For these pupils, the curriculum is adapted carefully, and lessons build on their prior knowledge.

Staff check what pupils with SEND know and help pupils achieve their targets. Staff training is appropriate and matched to pupils' needs, such as specific communication support for pupils with language difficulties. Pupils with SEND achieve well overall.

In early years, the curriculum ensures that children learn well. Staff prioritise communication and language. They use engaging texts, songs and rhymes to help children develop talking and listening skills.

Staff and children have very positive relationships. The ways in which adults question children is a strength. Staff use children's errors and misconceptions to clarify key learning points in memorable ways.

Staff explain new learning so that children understand fully. As a result, children in the early years achieve very well.

The school develops pupils' character well.

Pupils are proud to take on responsibilities such as helping younger children at lunchtimes. Pupils appreciate opportunities such as fundraising and taking on lead roles like organising stalls for the school fete. Pupils are increasingly able to talk about concepts such as democracy and how this links to systems such as government and the rules that they follow in school.

Staff know children and their families well. They support pupils so that they attend regularly.

The school receives effective support from governors and the local authority.

Leaders know the school's strengths and areas for development. They are reflective about actions that still need to be taken. Staff are passionate about the school.

They are proud to be part of the team and value the school's efforts to help them manage workload and their personal well-being. Parents are highly supportive and recognise how hard staff are working to ensure that all pupils receive a high-quality education overall.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the specific knowledge that pupils need to learn has not been identified and sequenced effectively enough. As a result, pupils are not able to build their knowledge as well as they should. The school should identify the key knowledge that pupils need to learn across all subjects and ensure that this is implemented well so that all pupils learn well across the curriculum.

• Staff do not check pupils' understanding across all subjects consistently well. This means pupils have some misconceptions and gaps in knowledge that are not addressed. The school should ensure that assessment identifies what pupils know, and use this information effectively so that all pupils learn well.