St George’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St George's is a kind and nurturing school. Right from the start in early years, pupils are well cared for.

Staff warmly welcome pupils into school each day. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), say they feel safe and happy in school. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and adults.

They know the importance of treating everyone equally.

The school has high expectations for its pupils across all aspects of school life. It recognises that this is not consistently reflected in academic achievements.

The school's values of 'courage' underpin pupils' behaviour and attitudes. Pupils conduct themselve...s calmly around the school. They know the school's 'golden rules' and disruption to pupils' learning and misbehaviour at social times are rare.

Pupils trust adults to deal with any incidents of misbehaviour quickly and fairly.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of activities that the school provides for them alongside the academic curriculum. For example, they enjoy sports and arts clubs and positions of leadership, such as health champions and eco councillors.

Older pupils speak fondly of the Castleton residential trip and their upcoming performance at the Hallé.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the experience their children have at this school. They rightly praise the school's nurturing ethos.

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

It is evident the school has high ambitions for pupils. The newly established leadership team are taking swift and appropriate action to improve outcomes. The school has made considerable changes to the curriculum in recent times to ensure a well-structured curriculum is in place.

Staff have identified the key knowledge that pupils must acquire from the early years to Year 6.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and explain concepts clearly. However, on occasion, what pupils experience and learn does not consistently match the school's ambition.

The curriculum is not yet delivered consistently well. In a few subjects, the checks on what pupils know are not as effective as they could be. Consequently, gaps in pupils' knowledge and misconceptions can go unnoticed.

The school prioritises reading. Children start learning about the sounds that letters make as soon as they join the Reception Year. Pupils are given books to read that match the sounds they know.

This means they read with increasing fluency. The school swiftly identifies any pupils who have fallen behind and gives carefully targeted support to help them catch up. Pupils develop a strong love of reading through regular reading events such as the pop-up 'poetry café'.

The school is quick to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Effective liaison with specialist agencies helps ensure that staff know how to support individual needs. In the majority of cases, staff support these pupils well.

The school sets high expectations for behaviour. From early years onwards, staff consistently build effective classroom routines, such as taking turns in the Nursery. As a result, pupils display excellent attitudes towards their learning.

They work hard in lessons because the school expects them to achieve well.

Attendance remains a high priority for the school. The school analyses attendance information with rigour.

It uses this information effectively. For example, to provide challenge and support to families in overcoming any barriers that they may have in helping their children attend school regularly. Consequently, the small number of pupils who are persistently absent is reducing.

Through the curriculum, pupils learn about difference and diversity in British society and beyond. For example, pupils explore how Christians celebrate Christmas in Italy, Mexico, Bethlehem and Syria. They learn about different faiths and visit different places of worship as part of the Derby faith trail.

Pupils learn about the mill industry and their local heritage through lived experiences, for example visits to Torr Vale Mill. The school offers pupils leadership opportunities, such as becoming play leaders or members of the school council and eco council. These experiences help pupils to prepare for their future lives in modern Britain.

The school is currently developing leadership of the curriculum. However, in some subjects, the school does not have a secure understanding of how well pupils are learning. In these subjects the school does not have the information it needs to make improvements in a timely way.

When making decisions the school carefully considers any impact on staff's workload. Staff value the school's care for their well-being. They are proud to work in this school.

The governing body asks pertinent questions to challenge and support the school's work. This helps to ensure that the school continues to fulfil its long-term priorities.

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 small number of subjects, implementation of the curriculum is variable. This means that pupils do not always benefit from the high-quality learning that the school intends. The school should continue to make sure that staff have the necessary skills and expertise to deliver the curriculum well.

• In those subjects where the curriculum is being refined, the school is still shaping its approaches to assessment. This prevents teachers from identifying pupils' misconceptions and the gaps in their prior learning as quickly as they should. The school should ensure that, as it develops assessment systems in these subjects, teachers are suitably equipped to check that pupils' earlier learning is secure.

• The school does not have as secure an understanding of how well pupils are learning in some subjects compared to others. This means they do not have as full a picture of where to make improvements. The school should ensure they check how well pupils are learning across subjects so they better understand where they might need to make necessary improvements.