St Paul’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and secure and enjoy coming to school. They know that they must work hard in their lessons. Pupils present their work to a high standard.

They behave and cooperate well with each other. Pupils know that their teachers will help them to improve their work. Teachers and pupils have great respect for each other.

Pupils look forward to their lessons and told us that they enjoy each subject. They are very excited about the school's new reading books. They told us of books, such as 'The Egyptian Cinderella', which capture their imagination.

Pupils say they appreciate the many opportunities for them to learn after school. These include a range of sp...orts, music and art. Several pupils told us how proud they were to be in the school football and netball teams.

All the pupils we spoke with said that they feel safe in the school. They know that their teachers will always take care of them. Pupils agree that their teachers' expectations of them are fair and helpful.

They said that they do not worry about bullying because staff sort issues out straight away.

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

The school provides pupils with a good quality of education. Leaders ensure that pupils achieve strongly across subjects.

Pupil's personal development is a strength of the school, which teachers promote well through a wide range of opportunities to develop pupils' talents and interests.

Leaders' plans for the curriculum are clear in what the pupils need to know and remember. This helps the teachers to plan lessons in a logical order.

In most subjects, this works well. For instance, in science, Year 1 pupils used their knowledge of temperature to thoughtfully decide what clothes to wear in the different seasons. Leaders have clear plans for history and geography but the curriculum in these subjects is not as successful as in most other subjects so pupils do not always gain the knowledge they need to be successful.

Leaders have put reading at the centre of the curriculum. Teachers are well trained in phonics. By following the school's programme, they ensure that all pupils succeed in learning their phonics.

Teachers keep a close check on how the pupils are learning. If a pupil needs extra help, they get this immediately. In a reading session, the Year 1 teacher ensured that pupils used their phonics skills to read some challenging words.

As the pupils move through school, they become fluent readers. However, a small number of boys in Years 4 and 5 struggle to read accurately. These boys have some useful reading skills but find little pleasure in reading.

The mathematics curriculum is a strength of the school. Teachers help pupils to develop the mathematical knowledge that they need. For instance, pupils have a good understanding of calculation.

They know their multiplication tables. They use this knowledge to tackle challenging mathematical problems.Leaders provide pupils with activities to support them in developing as confident, resilient and independent individuals.

The school provides effective support for pupils and staff in their mental health.

The physical education curriculum is a strength of the school. Pupils have many opportunities to enjoy physical activity and learn about healthy living.

Teachers are successful in helping pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to learn. They set work for pupils at the right level of challenge. Pupils with social communication difficulties and autism spectrum disorder in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND gain confidence and progress well.

Leaders, including governors, support and motivate the staff. All work as part of a committed team. Leaders ensure that parents and carers are welcome to visit the school.

Parents are confident to talk to their children's teachers if they need to. The school community works together to ensure that pupils succeed in their education.Children get off to a good start in the early years.

Staff are successful in ensuring that the children feel safe and confident. After only five days in school, the Nursery children showed much independence. All the children were happy, learning with their friends in a stimulating environment and through a well-planned curriculum.

From the day that children start at the school, staff work hard to develop children's early speaking skills and their awareness of letter sounds. This helps children to learn to read and write well. Children develop good early mathematics skills.

They are well equipped and ready to move into Year 1.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The staff are well trained in safeguarding.

They know what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil.

Leaders and staff give safeguarding a high priority. Leaders act immediately on any concerns brought to their attention.

They work successfully with other agencies and the local authority to ensure that all pupils get the help that they need. Leaders and staff support pupils' mental health well. Pupils benefit from lessons on how to keep themselves healthy and safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and the appropriate authority)

Pupils achieve well in the foundation subjects. For example, the well-planned curriculum in science is helping pupils to build their understanding of scientific vocabulary and knowledge. However, the school needs to ensure that pupils acquire all of the agreed knowledge in history and geography.

At key stage 2, a small number of disadvantaged boys are not decoding words effectively and lack fluency in their reading. These pupils are not sufficiently motivated in reading lessons. Leaders should ensure that they evaluate the curriculum for these boys and adapt reading activities to meet their needs.

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