Southwick Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Southwick Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend their school. They describe the school as being a 'kind and friendly' place.

Pupils are happy and safe. They say that bullying does not happen as staff help them to resolve friendship issues quickly. Parents and carers describe the school as a 'caring community'.

Pupils behave well. They follow the school's values in all that they do. They are polite and show each other and adults respect.

They learn to celebrate difference. Staff help pupils to develop an awareness of how to care for others. For example, the school council or...ganises 'Foodbank Friday' collections.

Each year, leaders plan pupils' personal development carefully. Pupils appreciate the enriching experiences available for them to try. They enjoy a wide range of clubs, such as lunchtime sports clubs with coaches.

Year 6 pupils say their residential visit gives them confidence and inspiration to try new things.

Staff encourage pupils to take on roles of responsibility. For example, pupils represent the school as elected members of the Trowbridge Youth Parliament.

They know they can make a difference in the future. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of education.

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

Leaders and staff are ambitious for pupils.

They are determined that all pupils read well. This begins with the teaching of phonics in the early years. Staff have a secure knowledge of phonics.

They spot, quickly and correctly, when pupils need extra practice. The youngest pupils read books that closely match the phonics they learn. Staff help pupils build their reading speed and accuracy successfully.

Class books are selected carefully by teachers to interest and engage pupils in reading. Visits from children's authors and regular library sessions encourage pupils to develop a love of reading.The school's curriculum is clearly sequenced.

Leaders have thought about the needs of their school community. They have identified the essential knowledge pupils must know and remember from the early years to Year 6. Leaders have broken down this knowledge into small, achievable steps.

This enables teachers to check who has secured their knowledge. For example, pupils are asked to explain their mathematical thinking using the correct mathematical vocabulary. Pupils use secure knowledge, such as times tables, to help them to answer mathematical questions well.

Across the wider curriculum, pupils are beginning to know more and remember more. However, they are not always able to link important concepts. For example, in history, Year 4 pupils remember some facts about the Great Fire of London in 1666.

Nevertheless, they cannot recall important historical details, such as Samuel Pepys' diary, as a useful source of evidence.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well. Staff identify their additional needs accurately.

They work with external agencies to adapt the curriculum and put effective support in place quickly.

Staff care for pupils' well-being. Some pupils displayed high levels of anxiety when they returned to school following the second national lockdown.

Staff work with parents and carers to help pupils recognise and manage their feelings well. They support families to overcome any issues stopping their children from attending school. Staff teach pupils how to be physically and mentally healthy.

Leaders are proactive in their support of pupils' social and emotional needs. This is a strength of the school.

The school has a calm and orderly environment.

There are clear routines, and staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. In the Reception Year, children are shown how to get along with others. They quickly gain the skills they need to learn and play together well.

Leaders, including governors, have a thorough knowledge of the school's strengths and areas for improvement. They prioritise the right training to ensure that the school's curriculum and staff's subject knowledge are continuously developing. Leaders support staff's well-being.

Staff appreciate this support. They are proud to work at this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders complete the necessary checks before staff begin working at the school. Regular training and updates support staff to carry out their safeguarding roles and responsibilities appropriately.

Staff know how to report concerns about pupils' safety and welfare.

They are confident that leaders follow up on any concerns. Referrals to external agencies are made in a timely manner. Leaders are not afraid to escalate concerns with external agencies if they believe the support offered could be improved.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. This includes online safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, pupils do not make links between important concepts well enough.

This makes it difficult to build on prior knowledge. Teachers need to check and strengthen pupils' knowledge of these key concepts to help them make connections within and across subjects.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2016.

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