St George’s CofE First School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's vision, 'Let your light shine', encourages all pupils to do their best. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school.

They display highly positive attitudes. In lessons, pupils are curious, engaged and enthusiastic about their learning. They work hard and produce work of good quality.

The school has made many improvements including overhauling the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious for pupils. However, weaknesses in some areas of the previous curriculum mean that some pupils have developed gaps in their learning over time. These pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they should be.

Relationships be...tween staff and pupils are warm and nurturing. Pupils feel safe and know that they can share any concerns they may have with any adult in school. Bullying is rare.

Staff help pupils sort out any disagreements they may have.

The school celebrates the diversity of the school community throughout the curriculum and the books they read. Pupils enjoy sharing their experiences of different traditions and religious celebrations with each other.

Pupils speak with pride about the roles of responsibility that they are entrusted with, such as being sports leaders and school councillors.

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

The school is unwavering in its pursuit of continual improvement. The school, supported by the trust, has constructed a high-quality, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum from Nursery to Year 4.

The school has ensured that it breaks the learning down into small steps. Consequently, teachers know precisely what to teach and when.

Typically, staff have secure subject knowledge.

However, in subjects such as mathematics, where the curriculum content has recently been revised, teachers sometimes lack the expertise and skills to deliver new learning consistently well. This means that staff sometimes do not support pupils to make secure enough connections between new topics and concepts. This prevents some pupils from deepening their learning, and from knowing and remembering more knowledge over time.

The school has successfully cultivated a love of reading by introducing pupils to a diverse range of suitable texts. This successfully helps to develop children's knowledge of language and vocabulary. Reading has a high priority at this school.

Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme consistently well. The books that pupils read are carefully matched to their phonics knowledge. Skilled staff regularly check on what pupils know and remember.

They support pupils who struggle to read to catch up quickly. However, on occasion, in other subject areas some gaps in pupils' knowledge go unchecked by staff. This hinders pupils from learning as deeply as they should.

Staff swiftly identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers make appropriate and thoughtful adaptations to enable pupils to access the full curriculum. All pupils from early years onwards are well supported to become increasingly independent and to take responsibility for their own learning.

In the early years, children develop strong foundations for their future learning. There is a sharp focus on building children's vocabulary. Staff expertly deliver the well-planned curriculum and make adaptations to the activities to capture pupils' interests and encourage engagement.

Adults encourage children to be inquisitive and to talk about their experiences.

Pupils benefit from a strong personal development programme that is woven throughout the curriculum. The school's values are inclusive to all faiths and the many pupils who speak different languages.

Pupils know and understand the school's values of respect, responsibility, compassion, honesty and forgiveness. These values guide them throughout all aspects of school life. Through assemblies, trips and enrichment days, pupils learn about relationships, diversity and fundamental British values.

Workshops for pupils, such as a recent first aid workshop, strengthen the school's excellent work to help pupils to stay safe. Pastoral support is effective. The school's work on mindfulness enhances pupils' well-being and helps them to understand their emotions.

Pupils enjoy the after-school clubs that they attend, but would value a broader range of opportunities.

The school's strategies to improve pupils' rates of attendance are having a positive impact. Staff work diligently to involve parents and carers with their children's learning.

Parents value the relationships they have built with staff.

There is a strong team spirit across the school. There is a real commitment from all staff to making a positive difference to the lives of the pupils.

Staff appreciate the school's efforts to support them with workload and well-being. Governors and trustees have very secure knowledge of how to effectively support and challenge 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)

• The new scheme for teaching mathematics is in the early stages of implementation and inconsistencies in teaching are evident. Some pupils are not being given enough opportunities to apply their learning to reason and problem solve. The school should make sure that pupils' knowledge builds on what they know already, so that pupils can apply their learning to more complex mathematical problems.

• Teachers' assessment of what pupils know and remember over time is not precise enough in some subjects. Teachers are not able to accurately assess individual pupil achievement or identify any gaps in learning that they may have. The school should ensure that assessment procedures identify pupils' individual needs in order to provide effective support for all pupils so that they are better prepared for their next stages in education.