Southey Green Primary School and Nurseries

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, keen and engaged. Pupils, staff, parents and carers appreciate the family feel of the school.

Pupils said, 'School is just marvellous.' Staff have high expectations and aspirations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils live up to these expectations; they are ever mindful of being 'Ready, Respectful and Responsible'.

They have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy all that they do.

Leaders have acted decisively and swiftly to ensure that pupils behave well. As a result of consistently applied policies and routines, pupils are well mannered and polite during lessons.

They ...listen attentively to their teachers and work happily together. During pupils' free time, such as lunchtimes, pupils are considerate and respectful to one another. They say that rewards and sanctions are clear and fair.

Pupils say that adults deal with any bullying effectively.

Parents were positive about the school in Ofsted's parents' survey, Parent View. One parent's comment summed up how many feel: 'The teachers and the headteacher know the children really well.

They understand their individual personalities and needs.'

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

There is a clear passion for reading throughout school. Leaders know that this valuable skill opens the door to great learning.

This love of reading starts in Southey Tots, where daily stories enthral children. Leaders involve children and their families in reading activities as soon as they start school. From Reception onwards, the books that pupils read match the sounds that they are learning.

This helps them to become fluent and confident readers. Weaker readers receive additional support. This helps them to catch up and keep up.

There is a clear intention to develop pupils with a rich vocabulary. However, this is not always consistently applied. Some teachers do not spend enough time ensuring that pupils fully understand the meaning of subject-specific vocabulary.

As a result, some pupils are then unsure about aspects of their learning.

Elsewhere in the school's curriculum, leaders have ensured that there is breadth and quality in what pupils learn. For instance, in mathematics and science, there is a well-planned programme of learning across all year groups.

Pupils build their skills securely and systematically. Pupils are able to explain what they know and show impressive recall.

In the wider curriculum, in subjects such as personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), teachers are less adept at checking what pupils know, understand and can do at the end of taught units.

This means that new learning does not effectively build on pupils' prior experiences.The lead special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) and the assistant headteacher for inclusion work with three phase coordinators, staff and parents to plan detailed support for pupils with SEND. These plans set out how teachers adapt the curriculum and include any additional support that pupils may require.

Leaders track this through clear and robust systems. This has led to pupils with SEND being successful in their learning.

Since the last inspection, early years provision at Southey Green has strengthened.

Children in early years get off to a good start. This ensures a smooth transition to Nursery and beyond. The early years leader is both passionate and accomplished.

There is shared ambition that children are confident, happy, healthy and independent. For instance, adults successfully encourage children to practise good dental health. The early years leader is focused on further developing the skills of the adults who work in this provision.

This is to encourage good vocabulary and lead children to be inquisitive.

Staff provide sensitive support and care for all pupils. Staff work closely with parents.

Leaders offer many opportunities for pupils to realise the Southey Green values: Ready, Respectful, Responsible. Through the curriculum, staff support pupils to become well-rounded individuals. For example, during a discussion, pupils explained the importance of tolerance and why learning to accept the views of others is important.

Pupils' behaviour and their attitudes to learning are positive. Pupils are respectful and polite, enjoying positive relationships with all adults. In lessons, pupils are motivated and eager to contribute.

There is a positive culture in this school. Adults care for children and know them well. There is a clear affection for all staff members.

Fittingly, pupils say that 'teachers make this school'. Pupils say that they feel safe. Where any problems do arise, they are confident that these will be dealt with by adults with sensitivity and care.

A few pupils told inspectors that there is an area of the playground that they sometimes feel unsafe. This is because pupils can be unkind to others in this space. Leaders are attending to these concerns.

Leaders, led by a headteacher who is passionate that this school is successful, have created a positive climate of reflection and improvement. The headteacher continues to nurture and develop leaders at all levels. As a result, adults grow in this school, they share senior leaders' drive and ambition, and this impacts on pupils' experiences positively.

Staff well-being is at the forefront of leaders' minds. Leaders do not overburden staff with unnecessary workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors ensure that safeguarding is regarded as a high priority in the school. All staff receive regular training and know how to identify if pupils are potentially at risk. Policies are regularly updated, and paperwork is detailed and robust.

Child protection procedures are effective, and pupils' well-being is a priority. The school's safeguarding policy has a proactive approach to dealing with sexual harassment. All staff have received appropriate training in this aspect.

Effective relationships with other agencies ensure that pupils are kept safe and their welfare needs well met.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not fully developed ways of checking that pupils have learned what was expected. This means that teachers do not accurately know whether pupils have achieved the intended end points in foundation subjects.

Leaders should further develop and embed assessment processes so that prior learning can be effectively built on. ? Some pupils' access to the curriculum is limited because they do not understand key subject vocabulary. Leaders should ensure that their strategy to build pupils' vocabulary is reviewed and applied consistently across school.