Southborough Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher, deputy headteacher, other leaders and governors are ambitious and have successfully created a culture of high expectations for all.

As a result, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good and pupils make good progress. Standards at the end of Year 6 have improved. Pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is now above average.

Pupils are prepared well for the next stage in their education. Governors know the school's main strengths and areas for improvement. They provide effective support and challenge to senior leaders to drive improvements.

Teachers and teaching assistants are highly ...committed and have risen well to the demands placed on them. They work effectively as a team to support pupils to make good progress. Systems for assessing and tracking pupils' progress in English and mathematics are highly effective.

This ensures that all groups of pupils, including pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, make good progress. Pupils are very happy in school. They say that they feel safe and well cared for.

Their parents agree. Pupils' behaviour is typically good and they have positive attitudes to learning. Effective leadership of the early years ensures that provision is good.

As a result, children make good progress and are prepared well for Year 1. Communication with parents is good. Parents are very pleased with the quality of education their children receive.

Staff are very supportive of the school's leadership and the morale in the school is high. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The attainment of disadvantaged pupils is weaker in writing than in reading and mathematics. Occasionally, there is insufficient challenge for the most able pupils to ensure that they make substantial and rapid progress, especially in English.

Although attendance is improving, a few pupils miss school too often. Occasionally, the presentation of pupils' written work is not of a high enough standard to ensure that they make rapid progress with their handwriting. The schools' work on preparing pupils for life in modern Britain is not strong enough.

Foundation subject leaders do not have sufficient impact on improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in their subjects. Full report

Information about this school

The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. Early years consists of two full-time Reception classes.

Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic groups, with the largest group being from a White British background. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average compared to similar schools nationally. The proportion of pupils supported with additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, is above average.

This funding is provided for those known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is above average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.

The school runs a breakfast club and a range of after-school activities. The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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