Spring Bank Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created an inclusive and nurturing environment for pupils. This permeates the positive relationships between pupils and staff.

Pupils from different backgrounds and with different needs are warmly welcomed. Staff are kind and caring to pupils. Pupils play their part in creating a happy and safe school.

Pupils are very respectful and show tolerance to one another. Pupils behave well.

Leaders show determination to improve the school.

The headteacher and governors have made improvements to the quality of education. They have improved the teaching of phonics and reading. Even so, the quality of education is not yet good enough.

Lead...ers and teachers have not planned and implemented curriculum plans well enough.

Pupils told inspectors that they are happy and safe at school. Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying.

Pupils say that bullying does not happen. Some pupils have created a useful leaflet to promote messages about anti-bullying.

Pupils are well involved in the life of the school.

They thrive on taking on leadership responsibilities. Some older pupils take pride in working in the school library. They enjoy supporting younger pupils with their reading.

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

Leaders have prioritised improving pupils' early reading skills well. They have ensured that pupils get off to a good start when learning to read. However, this is not always the case in other subjects.

Reading and phonics are well taught. Teachers and adults are well trained and skilled at teaching phonics. Leaders have created an ambitious programme for phonics, early reading and spelling.

Leaders are clear about the letters, sounds and words pupils should spell by the end of each term. Children at risk of falling behind are well supported to catch up. Staff match books to pupils' phonics knowledge.

This helps them to tackle new words in reading. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading. They value visiting the attractive school library.

Pupils enjoy listening to a range of poems, rhymes, and classic and modern texts.

Leaders are keen to improve the quality of education in wider curriculum subjects. However, the pace of improvement of the wider curriculum has been slow.

Too many curriculum plans are at an early stage of development and leaders have not monitored this well enough. This is the case in art, personal social, health and economic (PSHE) education, history, PE and geography. Whole-school curriculum plans do not detail the small steps pupils need to take to build their knowledge over time.

Leaders have developed their approach to teaching of mathematics. Teachers have responded to training to improve their subject knowledge. Teachers have worked hard to address gaps in pupils' learning.

Pupils are developing their knowledge of numbers and place value. Too often, though, the mathematics curriculum is not demanding enough.

Governors are passionate about and committed to the school.

They make sure that safeguarding procedures are effective. This ensures that the school is a safe haven for staff and pupils. Governors provide support and challenge to leaders with regard to reading, writing and mathematics.

Governors have not challenged leaders well enough about pupils' achievements in other subjects. Equally, they are not knowledgeable about the implementation of the wider curriculum.

Children are happy and safe in the early years.

The indoor classroom celebrates children's early writing and development of early language. Children are building crucial blocks in early literacy knowledge, skills and understanding. However, the outdoor learning environment is not as inviting or as well used as the indoor space.

Some outdoor resources and activities are not high-quality. These do not support children in some areas of learning, for example in their physical development.

Teachers and teaching assistants know their pupils well.

They adapt the curriculum well for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that pupils with SEND get the support and help they need in lessons.

Staff work hard to support pupils' personal development.

Staff have ensured that extra-curricular activities have restarted. Pupils enjoy the sporting activities and clubs they can attend after school. Staff have arranged visits from a range of authors and organisations.

Pupils remember the key messages from assemblies on speaking out to stay safe. Leaders work together to monitor pupils' attendance and punctuality. This has led to some improvements, but there is more to be done to improve punctuality.

Teachers and teaching assistants enjoy working at the school. They feel very well supported by leaders. They say leaders are considerate about their well-being.

They appreciate how leaders listen to and act on their views.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a positive culture of safeguarding at the school.

Staff know that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Staff are very well trained and know how to identify and report concerns. Leaders keep detailed records.

Procedures for recording and dealing with concerns are well established. Leaders quickly respond to pupil welfare concerns. The school provides good pastoral support for vulnerable pupils and their families.

Parents and carers appreciate leaders' caring and thoughtful support.Pupils feel very safe in school. They have trusted adults to turn to if the need arises.

Leaders carry out appropriate checks on adults who work with pupils. Recent local authority support has helped to secure improvements in safeguarding procedures.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, such a PSHE, PE, history and geography, the curriculum is not well planned or is still in the early stages of development.

This means that pupils do not learn things in order, and teachers do not know what is in the full curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is fully planned and sequenced in all curriculum subjects so that teachers know what to teach and when. ? Leaders, including governors, do not check the quality or implementation of the school's planned curriculum effectively.

Leaders do not have a good enough understanding of the quality of the curriculum or pupils' achievements. Leaders and governors should ensure that an appropriate programme of monitoring is in place so that they are kept fully informed. ? Leaders and teachers have worked hard to identify and address gaps in pupils learning in mathematics.

However, some pupils are not challenged enough in their learning. Teachers do not plan sufficiently demanding work for pupils. Leaders should support teachers to provide work that ensures more pupils receive appropriately demanding work.

• The outdoor area in the early years is not as well developed as the purposeful indoor learning environment. This means children do not have consistent opportunities to practise and secure knowledge and skills outdoors as they do indoors. This is particularly noticeable in areas that support children's physical development.

Leaders should further develop the outdoor learning environment so that children are well supported to develop and learn outdoors. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Leaders work hard to promote the importance of regular attendance and punctuality.

However, some pupils arrive late to school. This means they miss the start of lessons and miss out on crucial information. Leaders should continue to work closely with parents to ensure that pupils arrive on time for school.