Spring Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They have a strong sense of belonging. An older pupil, typically, commented, 'When you join from a young age and then you get to Year 6 you just feel like you are part of a family.

You have made friends you will never lose and met teachers you will never forget.' Staff care for pupils very well. Pupils are happy and safe.

They share any worries with trusted adults.

Staff and pupils live out the school's values of 'resilience, respect, collaboration, curiosity and independence'. Pupils are polite and welcoming.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour, which pupils meet. Pupils say that there is hardly any bu...llying. They know that staff would deal effectively with any such behaviour, if it did occur.

Leaders provide pupils with experiences to develop character and resilience. Older pupils have opportunities to gain leadership responsibilities. Pupils appreciate the range of extra-curricular clubs available, especially those related to sport.

Both boys' and girls' football teams are popular.

Parents and carers value the school. Typically, a parent commented, 'The school supports the wider community, I feel this is crucial and much needed.

My son loves attending and the staff are fantastic.'

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

Leaders, governors and trustees lead with a strong moral purpose. They continually strive to achieve the school's aim, whereby 'Children leave Spring Lane prepared to thrive in an ever-changing world.'

Leaders engage purposefully with the local community to support pupils' education.

Pupils experience a broad and ambitious curriculum. Leaders ensure that most subject curriculums identify the key knowledge that pupils need to learn and when.

Pupils build their learning across the year and from one year to the next. For example, in mathematics, planned learning is ambitious. In this subject, leaders ensure that pupils learn knowledge in the correct order, so that they know and are able to do more, including by revisiting topics.

Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use well to help them teach different mathematical concepts.

Leaders are refining some subject curriculums. However, they are at different stages in this work.

This is partly due to staffing changes and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In history, for example, leaders have successfully reviewed the curriculum, so that pupils gain and remember key knowledge. In geography, however, curriculum refinement is less developed.

For example, pupils' experiences of fieldwork, and the learning they gain from this, are not as effective as they should be.

Teachers ensure that the curriculum is as ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities as it is for other pupils. Teachers and support staff adapt their teaching to enable these pupils to know more and remember more over time.

Leaders ensure that pupils who speak English as an additional language get off to a good start. These pupils access the full curriculum and quickly catch up as a result of the support they receive.

Leaders have prioritised reading.

They have successfully introduced a new phonics scheme. Staff are trained to use resources well. Children in the early years get off to a swift start in learning how to read.

Staff regularly assess pupils' reading. This helps them to identify and support those pupils who require further assistance to become confident readers. Pupils become fluent in their reading.

Leaders are refining the reading curriculum to make sure that all pupils learn to read with understanding.Leaders have high expectations and a clear vision for the early years provision. They provide children in nursery and pre-school classes with positive opportunities to learn.

Staff support children's personal, social and emotional development well. Children in reception classes benefit from structured, teacher-led sessions, for example, in mathematics and number work. However, when children are engaged in play, opportunities to learn are not organised as well.

Staff do not use the conversations that they have with children to help them to learn more during these less structured times.

Behaviour is positive and productive. Pupils know the staff's high expectations for behaviour and conduct.

Learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Leaders' approach to improving behaviour is effective. There has been a reduction in fixed-term exclusions and incidences of poor behaviour.

Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils' personal development. Pastoral care is strong. Leaders promote understanding of diversity and respect.

For example, pupils recently took part in the local Diwali parade. Relationships education is age-appropriate.

Trustees and governors provide school leaders with a healthy level of challenge and support.

Trustees and governors are ambitious for all pupils and the place of the school in the local community. They are mindful of staff's welfare and well-being.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

They appreciate leaders' consideration and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding.

They know pupils and their backgrounds exceptionally well. They recognise potential risks and concerning signs related to pupils' welfare. They take swift and appropriate steps to ensure that pupils are safe.

They work with, and at times challenge, external agencies to provide additional support when needed.

Staff are well trained. They receive regular safeguarding updates.

They know their responsibilities and fulfil them very well.

Pupils have opportunities to understand potential risks. Staff support them to know how to make the right choices, for example, when in the local community and when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject curriculums are not as well developed as others. As a result, pupils do not necessarily build on their learning from one year to the next in all subjects as well as they should. Leaders should ensure the sequence of key knowledge and skills that they want pupils to know, remember and be able to practise, is clear in all subjects, thus enabling pupils to build their knowledge over time.

• Adults do not always check children's choices to play and learn, within the continuous provision, in all of the early years classes. As a result, some children do not gain as much as they should from these planned opportunities. Leaders need to make sure that all children in early years benefit from high-quality, continuous provision opportunities to play, learn and develop.

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