St Mark’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's Christian motto of 'let your light shine' is present in every aspect of school life. Pupils beam with happiness to learn in a place where staff ensure that all pupils show care and respect for each other.

Pupils are proud of the inclusive culture of their school. They learn that it is important for everyone to feel welcome. This means that bullying is very rare and any incidents are quickly resolved.

Pupils behave very well. The school's 'SHINE' behaviours make it clear what staff expect. All staff consistently model what these behaviours look like, so pupils understand how to comply.'

Shiny Time' on a Friday afternoon is a time for all pupils to... celebrate the rewards which come from following the school rules. Pupils indulge in karaoke and sports games with their friends from across the school.

Leaders have high ambition for all pupils.

However, currently, pupils have gaps in their knowledge, meaning they are not always well prepared for their next stages of learning. Leaders know this and are acting quickly to make sure every pupil can achieve their very best academically.

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

Significant changes in staff and school leadership, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, have slowed the school improvement journey.

Despite this, leaders, governors, the diocese and the local authority are steadfast in their dedication to improve standards. They have a very clear vision for what they want every pupil to achieve. Leaders and governors use accurate information to clearly identify the school's priorities.

They use external expertise to critically review the curriculum and provision in school. From this, they develop clear plans to move the school forward.

Staff make sure they know their pupils well.

They quickly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders design effective support plans to identify what support pupils need to learn well. Staff receive training to help them apply these plans in the classroom.

The 'Ocean Room' provides a supportive space for pupils with SEND to receive additional help with their learning. Therapies such as sensory circuits help pupils learn to use their bodies. Where needed, carefully developed learning plans make it clear to pupils what they must do to manage their feelings or how to ask for help when they need it.

Leaders know that the curriculum across each year group currently is not helping pupils learn well enough. The important knowledge that all pupils need to know is not identified clearly in all subjects. This means pupils do not always learn in a carefully ordered way.

Pupils can find it hard to connect ideas together and remember learning over time. Assessment is also not used well enough to identify gaps in pupils' learning. Teachers do not quickly spot what learning pupils need to revisit to help them develop secure subject knowledge.

Leaders know that the previous early years curriculum was not teaching children the knowledge they needed to be well prepared for Year 1. Leaders are now redesigning the early years curriculum to ensure that all children have the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. This work is still new and does not yet set out what children will learn across the whole year.

However, there are now examples of much richer and more engaging learning. For example, in the seasons topic, children develop creative skills by understanding how to mix autumnal colours. They further develop their mathematical skills by sorting leaves by colour, size and length.

All staff have had the appropriate training to deliver the phonics programme. However, not all staff are yet delivering the programme with the same expertise. While leaders are quick to identify pupils who need help, not all staff know how to precisely identify and close the gaps in pupils' reading knowledge.

Leaders are currently improving the effectiveness of the support given to pupils who find reading more difficult but this is still new. Consequently, these pupils are not currently reading as well as they should.

Leaders have forged strong partnerships with other local schools and organisations to make sure that all pupils have a wealth of opportunity to develop their skills and talents.

For example, pupils can learn Russian or philosophy or take part in sport training sessions. Leaders raise pupils' aspirations through trips to local universities to help them start planning for an ambitious future. Leaders make sure that every child develops a secure knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, happy and healthy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding in school. They make sure that all staff have the training they need to be vigilant and report their concerns about pupils.

Leaders take swift and effective action to seek help from external support where needed. They provide additional help for those pupils who need it, such as support groups for young carers.

Leaders ensure all pupils know how to keep themselves safe.

They learn about the potential dangers that they may face while playing online. Pupils trust staff to help them if they report a worry.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the important knowledge that leaders want all pupils to learn has not been clearly identified and ordered in a sequential way.

Therefore, pupils remember knowledge as disconnected facts and cannot link ideas together.Leaders must ensure that they complete their plans for the curriculum and embed these from early years through to Year 6. ? The support for pupils who are struggling to learn to read is not effective enough.

As a result, too many pupils are not able to read well enough for their age. Leaders must ensure that staff are expertly trained to deliver the phonics curriculum and that interventions are effective in closing gaps in pupils' knowledge. ? Checking what pupils have learned and remembered is not yet well embedded in all subjects.

Therefore, teachers do not have clear oversight of how well the curriculum is meeting the needs of all pupils or what knowledge gaps pupils have. Leaders are aware of this. They must implement an effective process of assessment to ensure the curriculum is being successfully implemented for all.