Springwell School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their time at Springwell. They feel safe and are kept safe. They appreciate the check-ins from staff each morning and know there are adults they can talk with if they have any worries.

Pupils are confident that any such concerns would be resolved quickly. There is a calm and orderly environment throughout the school. Pupils look out for each other, offering support to their peers if needed.

Leaders are ambitious and ensure that all pupils are supported to access the curriculum. In most subjects, these ambitions are realised. Pupils readily demonstrate the school motto 'Aspire, Create, Achieve'.

They work hard and produce work of good quality in d...ifferent subjects. Pupils are generally well-prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils benefit from the leadership opportunities provided.

For example, they sign-up to be language buddies, who help pupils newly arrived at the school. Similarly, they can become playtime monitors and members of the ECO and school councils. Pupils look forward to visits that enhance the curriculum, such as to the British Museum.

Pupils attend a variety of activities, including a debating club, where they learn to discuss ideas such as 'is it good to be famous?'.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum which is typically ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In most subjects, the knowledge leaders expect pupils to learn and remember has been identified.

This begins in early years and builds sequentially so that pupils are well-placed to tackle more ideas, learning by drawing on what they have learned previously. For example, in mathematics, children in early years practise counting in different steps and ordering numbers. This helps older pupils to use mathematical vocabulary such as numerator and denominator when explaining how they multiply fractions.

Similarly, in art, pupils learn and practise different shading techniques, such as hatching, cross-hatching, stippling and circling. This helps pupils to complete more complex and refined sketches of their own.

However, a few subjects are not as carefully designed and implemented.

In these instances, the most important information that pupils need to learn has not been carefully identified. This means that teachers do not consistently focus on the most important ideas. Assessment is also used less well in these areas to check pupils' understanding.

This means that errors and misconceptions are not swiftly identified and addressed. As a result, some pupils develop a less secure knowledge in these aspects of the curriculum.

Leaders have prioritised pupils' reading.

Staff have been trained to implement the agreed phonics programme. The sounds children need to learn are introduced from the start of Nursery and the phonics programme starts promptly from the beginning of Reception. Pupils practise reading books that match the sounds that they know.

Additional support is provided to those pupils who might be falling behind or who struggle to read well. This helps most pupils to read with accuracy, fluency and confidence. Leaders have given thought to the books that pupils will read over time.

This includes a range of texts including, poetry, graphic novels and fiction. Pupils enjoy making use of the two school libraries.

Pupils with SEND are swiftly identified.

Leaders ensure that teachers have the information they need to provide the necessary support. As a result, teachers make appropriate adaptations to tasks and activities. This ensures that pupils with SEND access the planned curriculum wherever possible.

Pupils behave well in the classroom and around the school. This is because systems and routines are in place that are well understood and consistently applied. Leaders are aware that improving attendance is an ongoing high priority.

The school works well with external agencies to provide support for families for whom attendance needs to improve. Leaders' expectations are communicated regularly and high and improving attendance is celebrated through, for example, the weekly attendance award for year groups.

Pupils' personal development is carefully considered.

The curriculum helps pupils to understand important ideas such as what constitutes safe, healthy and respectful relationships. Pupils learn about managing their own mindfulness and well-being. For example, they enjoy listening to relaxing music and using breathing techniques to calm down.

Pupils describe the school as a kind community where everyone is equal.

Leaders have created a strong sense of community. Staff feel very well supported to manage their workload and that their well-being is given careful consideration.

Those responsible for governance understand the school's strengths and priorities for improvement. However, the school's approach to evaluating the quality of the provision is not consistently robust. As a result, some priorities are not sufficiently focused on the most important areas for improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember has not been clearly identified or well-sequenced. This means that teachers do not consistently focus on the most important concepts and pupils do not secure as deep an understanding in these subjects.

The school should ensure that the concepts that pupils need to learn and remember in each subject are identified and sequenced. The school should also check that the curriculum is implemented consistently, and that assessment is used with precision to check that pupils secure the important ideas in these subjects. ? The school's work to evaluate the quality of provision is not sufficiently robust.

This means that self-evaluation of the school's effectiveness is not always accurate. The school should ensure that systems are in place to provide an accurate view of the quality of provision. This will help leaders to identify more precisely future school improvement priorities.

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