Southmead Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key findings

This is a good school.

It is not yet outstanding because there remains some variability in the quality of teaching and in the rates of pupils' learning and progress between classes. The school's strengths show it is in a strong position to improve further. Achievement is good.

All groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, those known to be eligible for free school meals and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress from their starting points. As a result, attainment is rising and is broadly average by the end of Year 6. Pupils in the specially resourced provision learn and progress well.

They benefit from perso...nalised sessions with specialist staff as well as spending time daily with their peers in lessons. Through rigorous monitoring and well-managed additional training for staff, leaders have improved the quality of teaching since the previous inspection so that it is usually good. Marking and feedback are effective in making the next steps in learning clear to pupils.

Time in lessons for them to respond to teachers' comments about their work is not as consistently well planned. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They approach tasks with enthusiasm.

They behave well and respond quickly to reminders from staff about the behaviour that is expected. Effective teamwork between the headteacher, members of the governing body, the senior leadership team and staff, has successfully secured enhancements to provision and raised expectations of what all pupils can achieve. Leaders have managed performance well by setting ambitious targets for the school's work and pupils' academic outcomes.

Improvements to the curriculum boost pupils' achievement in literacy and numeracy. Sometimes, opportunities for pupils to develop skills in working independently are more limited in some classes.

Information about the school

This is a larger than average primary school.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs, is above average. The school has specially resourced provision for 16 pupils with autistic spectrum disorder special educational needs. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average.

The proportions of pupils with minority ethnic heritage or who speak English as an additional language are above average. More pupils join and leave the school part way through their primary education than nationally. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.

There have been two changes of headteacher since the previous inspection and several staff changes, including to the senior leadership team. The school manages a breakfast club. The children's centre that shares the school site is the subject of a separate inspection.