St Keyna Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Keyna Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are at the heart of this happy and inclusive school.

Leaders and staff provide a safe and nurturing climate for pupils to learn. Pupils are respectful of each other and all adults. They say, 'we are a working team; we do things together.'



Through the curriculum, pupils learn the importance of treating people fairly, regardless of their backgrounds or differences. The equalities team, made up of pupils and staff, plans events throughout the year to inspire the school community to embrace diversity. Pupils are well prepared for living in the wider world.

P...upils, including those with complex needs, behave well. They understand and follow the school's 'Ammonite Code' for behaviour. Bullying is not an issue.

Pupils are clear that if it did happen, leaders would sort it out quickly.

Leaders and staff share the same high expectations for pupils' academic and personal success. They are skilled at providing pupils with the right type of support to ensure that they learn well.

Parents and carers are fully supportive of the school's work. Many commented positively on the care and individual support pupils receive from staff.

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

Leaders pay close attention to early reading.

Their revised approach to the teaching of phonics is paying off. In early years, staff immerse children in songs, rhymes and stories. Most start in the Reception class able to hear and recognise letter sounds.

Leaders have mapped out ambitious end-points that they expect pupils to reach by the end of Year 2. Staff use regular checks to identify pupils who are not keeping up. These pupils receive extra lessons from well-trained staff to build their confidence and fluency in reading.

As a result, pupils are catching up quickly.

Leaders have worked with determination to develop a positive reading culture across the whole school from Nursery through to Year 6. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about their love of reading, both in school and at home.

Teachers encourage them to read widely and often. Pupils enjoy sharing book recommendations and taking part in the school's reading challenge programme.

There is a mathematics curriculum in place that is clearly thought out.

Pupils enjoy lessons and take pride in their work. In Reception, children are confident in counting forwards and backwards. Teachers use rhymes and books to help consolidate mathematical concepts.

Leaders have considered carefully what to prioritise following the disruption caused by COVID-19. For example, they have identified gaps in pupils' recall of number facts. There are now extra arithmetic sessions for pupils to revisit important content.

Pupils say that this is helping them to get better at mathematics.

Since the previous inspection, leaders have identified that the wider curriculum needed strengthening. They have worked hard to put together an engaging and ambitious curriculum from Reception to Year 6.

Leaders and teachers have planned what they want pupils to learn. However, leaders do not break learning down into small enough steps for each year group in some subjects. Therefore, it is not always clear how knowledge and skills build over time.

This makes it more challenging for leaders to assess how well pupils are progressing.

The school's inclusion team has an in-depth understanding of the pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The team is ambitious that these pupils have the same opportunities as others.

Adults are highly skilled at providing the right support for those with the greatest level of need. A well-planned nurture programme is successful at helping pupils manage their feelings and emotions. Consequently, learning in lessons is largely free from any disruption.

Many parents praise the school's inclusive approach.

Pupils are growing into responsible citizens. Leaders provide frequent opportunities to develop pupils' personal skills.

Staff take a keen interest in celebrating pupils' individuality. Pupils can describe how the curriculum teaches them about healthy relationships and making a difference in the world.

Governors are well informed of the school's priorities.

They work closely with leaders to oversee the school's provision for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Governors continue to keep a check on the workload and well-being of all staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have strong systems in place to check that adults are suitable to work with pupils. Staff are knowledgeable. They understand their role in keeping pupils safe.

Leaders provide a thorough training plan to ensure that all adults know how to spot and report concerns. Staff place importance on supporting pupils' emotional well-being. They are quick to involve a range of agencies to provide pupils and families with the help they need.

Pupils feel safe in school. They know why it is important to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum plans tell teachers the important content and knowledge that pupils need to learn.

However, on some plans, it is not made explicit enough how pupils build on and use what has been taught before. Leaders need to ensure that staff are clear about how new knowledge builds on previous learning. ? Staff use assessment well in English and mathematics.

However, leaders are continuing to develop the use of assessment in other subjects. Leaders need to develop how teachers assess what pupils have learned across all subjects, so that they know more and remember more of the curriculum over time.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2016.