St Nicholas Chantry Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils respond well to the high expectations set by staff. Pupils learn well in some areas of the curriculum. However, improvements to some subjects are in their early stages.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not yet learn well enough across the whole curriculum.

Pupils feel safe. They trust adults to sort rare incidents of bullying.

Pupils enjoy learning and attend well. Most pupils try their best in lessons and behave well. Older pupils are proud to be role models around school and at playtimes.

In a small number of classes, teachers' expectations of pupils' behaviour are not high enough. So...me pupils feel that disruptive behaviour sometimes distracts them from their learning.

Leaders have put much in place to help pupils develop personally.

Pupils are motivated to contribute to school life, for example by joining the library crew and organising litter-picking. They benefit from a wide range of clubs and memorable visits that are now restarting.

Many parents and carers are pleased with the education their children receive.

A few parents raised concerns about behaviour management and the curriculum for pupils with SEND.

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

Leaders have improved many areas of the curriculum. With the support of the trust, leaders are making sure that pupils learn the right things.

They have provided training to improve teachers' subject knowledge. This has had a positive impact on reading and mathematics. Most pupils now achieve well in these subjects.

However, leaders' improvements in other areas of the curriculum are at an early stage. As a result, pupils have gaps in their learning.

Leaders prioritise reading.

Pupils enjoy hearing stories every day. Older pupils are keen readers. They are knowledgeable about a range of authors and texts.

Children begin to learn to read as soon as they enter Reception. Most pupils quickly build up their phonics knowledge in key stage 1. However, support for pupils who struggle with reading, including those with SEND, is inconsistent.

Some pupils do not read books that help them to practise the sounds they have learned. This hinders their ability to read with fluency.

Some subjects are well organised.

Pupils learn the key knowledge and vocabulary they need to be successful in computing. This is because the curriculum breaks down learning into small steps. Pupils develop their mathematical knowledge from Reception to Year 6 well.

Teachers regularly check for gaps in pupils' learning and make sure that they remember key facts. In several other subjects, however, teachers are not clear about the important knowledge pupils should learn. Learning is not always organised in a logical order and does not build pupils' knowledge well over time.

Children settle well in early years. They develop warm relationships with adults and play together happily. They make a strong start with reading and mathematics.

However, the rest of the curriculum does not clearly set out what children need to learn. This means that the activities staff plan do not consistently help children to develop new knowledge well enough.

Pupils with SEND learn alongside their peers.

However, leaders do not always identify pupils' needs clearly enough. Some support plans contain limited information to help teachers adapt learning well. A few pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs do not get the support they need.

They sometimes lose interest in their learning. Occasionally, this disrupts learning for their peers.

Leaders have raised expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Most pupils work hard in lessons and behave well around the school. Pupils follow class rules. They aspire to receive rewards such as the 'star learner' award for good behaviour.

However, for a small number of pupils, poor behaviour and attitudes persist.

Pupils understand diversity and respect differences. They talk maturely about the importance of fairness to people of all backgrounds.

Pupils benefit from a well-thought-out relationships and sex education programme. They learn how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Clubs and visits enrich their learning.

Trustees and governors know the school's strengths and weaknesses accurately. Trustees provide valuable expertise. Governors know their responsibilities and have developed their skills.

They check on improvements to the curriculum. Stronger challenge is now in place. This is improving the education that pupils receive.

Staff feel that leaders take account of their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know what to do if they have a concern about a pupil's welfare.

Leaders respond to concerns quickly. They work with external agencies to support pupils and their families. Leaders make sure that staff training is up to date.

However, leaders' checks on the impact of training are not always rigorous enough. A small number of records are not maintained as well as they should be.

Pupils learn how to keep safe through the curriculum.

They learn about healthy relationships and how to keep safe when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not fully developed the curriculum. Teachers do not build successfully on pupils' prior learning.

Pupils have gaps in their learning and struggle to remember what they have learned previously. Leaders need to develop the curriculum in all subjects, ensuring that it provides teachers with the detailed knowledge that they need to teach and when to teach it. ? In early years, the curriculum does not clearly identify how the knowledge children need to learn is ordered and connected.

This means that children's learning does not always build on what they know and can do. Leaders need to make sure that the early years curriculum is clearly thought out and well sequenced so that children make a strong start in all areas of learning. ? Leaders do not consistently identify the needs of pupils with SEND with precision.

Some pupils do not learn the curriculum well or improve their behaviour over time. Leaders must ensure that staff identify barriers to learning more accurately and adapt learning to meet pupils' needs. ? Pupils who have fallen behind with their reading are not catching up quickly enough.

Books are not always well matched to their needs. This prevents them from practising sounds they have learned and impedes their fluency. Leaders should ensure that pupils who have fallen behind get the help they need to become confident, fluent readers.

• Leaders ensure that staff know how to report and record safeguarding concerns. However, some aspects of record-keeping are not well organised. Leaders need to make sure that systems are in place that enable them to review all aspects of the school's work to keep pupils safe.

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