Sparkwell All Saints Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school sits in the heart of the community it serves. Pupils are proud of their school. Their behaviour and attitudes to learning reflect the school's values of resilience, responsibility, respect and creativity.

Older pupils know what it means to be a role model. They are proud to act as 'reading buddies' to their younger peers. As a result, pupils are polite and kind citizens.

The trust and school leaders are ambitious for all pupils to succeed and achieve well. Staff know all the pupils as individuals. This means pupils feel safe and cared for.

Pupils know that if they have any concerns there is an adult they can speak to. They work hard and enjoy comi...ng to school.

Pupils have the opportunity to participate in a range of clubs such as, gardening, dance and Harry Potter club.

These clubs are designed for pupils to build on their interests as well as to develop new skills. Through enterprise events, pupils raise money for local charities. This helps them learn what it means to be an active member of the community.

All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are involved in all aspects of school life.

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

The school's ambitious curriculum sets out the important knowledge and skills it wants pupils to know and remember over time. The trust has made learning to read a priority for all pupils.

Children begin to learn their phonics from the day they start school. Learning to read is structured carefully so that teachers routinely check what pupils know. This means that pupils who struggle are identified swiftly.

Support is put in place so that these pupils catch up quickly. The sounds pupils learn match the sounds they learn. When pupils read, they use their phonics knowledge to sound out unfamiliar words.

This helps build their fluency and reading confidence. Older pupils talk with passion about their favourite authors.

Pupils benefit from well-structured opportunities which extend their learning.

For example, pupils have first-hand experience at geography fieldwork using the local woodland. Pupils also learn to use natural materials to understand the construction of Tudor houses. They use these experiences to inform their written work in different subjects.

As a result, pupils discuss what they have learnt in the past and apply it securely to new ideas.

Pupils with SEND are well-supported. Their needs are identified early and the school ensures they have the help and resources they need to facilitate their learning.

Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and work alongside their peers. When necessary, pupils with SEND complete work that is personalised to reflect their individual starting points. In some subjects, however, teachers do not check what all pupils know securely.

This means that at times, some pupils do not move onto more complex work when they are ready to. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

The school ensures that the curriculum for Reception Year enables children to build the skills and knowledge they need to be ready for Year 1.

Children are encouraged to be independent learners. Activities that children engage with are linked to well-chosen books that adults read to them. This helps children learn and use new vocabulary purposefully.

Staff have high expectations of how pupils should behave. As a result, the school is a calm place, and pupils behave well. The school also provides effective support for pupils who need extra help with their behaviour.

Regular attendance is a priority. When pupils' attendance falls below what is expected, the school works closely with pupils and their families to ensure they are supported effectively. As a result, pupils attend well.

The provision for pupils' personal development is a strength. Pupils have a well-formed view of the fundamental British values. During assemblies, they learn about different aspects of life in modern Britain.

Visitors to school help pupils learn about different jobs and careers they can pursue. Pupils learn about protecting the environment through art projects with artists using plastic that cannot be recycled. There is also an extensive range of educational visits to museums, farms and prehistoric sites.

This helps deepen pupils' understanding of the curriculum.

The trust and local governors provide effective support and challenge to the school. Over the past year the school has implemented some new initiatives.

Staff receive ongoing professional development to reflect these changes. As a result, staff feel supported and are proud to work at the school.

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, assessment is not used effectively to check what pupils know and understand. This means that some pupils do not move onto more complex work when they are ready to and do not learn as well as they could. The trust should ensure that staff use assessment effectively to check what pupils know and to respond effectively so that learning is adapted suitably and pupils achieve well in the curriculum.