St Peter’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St Peter's Church of England Primary School is a happy and safe place for pupils to learn. Pupils feel well cared for.

Bullying is rare, but if it happens, pupils trust adults to sort it out quickly. Pupils talk confidently about the different adults that they can go to for help if anything worries them or if they want to speak to someone. Relationships between pupils are strong.

Leaders and staff aim to create an environment that 'empowers each and every unique person to dream, believe, achieve and flourish'.

Pupils are proud to attend their school. Most children display an eagerness to please and a motivation to learn.

Pupils' behaviour is good. Pu...pils play well together at social times and usually concentrate during lessons.

Many pupils enjoy accessing a range of after-school activities that develop their interests.

These include clubs for sports, science, sewing and woodwork. Pupils are keen to take on extra duties that contribute positively to school life. They speak enthusiastically about positions of responsibility, such as those of librarians, house captains and anti-bullying ambassadors.

They take this very seriously and understand the importance and impact of these roles.

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

The school has been through a lot of change over the last two years. In addition to the disruption caused by the pandemic, the leadership structure has altered, and new staff have joined.

This includes the appointment of a new headteacher and deputy headteacher. Since these appointments, leaders have implemented many changes across the school, which has ensured that pupils benefit from a good quality of education.

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is broad and ambitious.

Across all areas, including early years, leaders have created a well-sequenced and logical curriculum that aims to build on what pupils already know and can do.

There is a structured approach to reading across the school. Pupils read regularly at home and in school.

They also enjoy story time at the end of each day. Older pupils talk about their favourite books and authors with understanding and pleasure. Pupils read a wide range of texts from different genres.

The school's phonics programme is well planned. Staff have had training in the teaching of phonics so that they can support pupils effectively with their reading. However, phonics sessions are not delivered consistently well across the school.

Where this is the case, staff lack the confidence or ability to quickly identify errors or misconceptions. This affects the progress that pupils make.

The mathematics curriculum is well thought through.

Leaders have broken key learning down into small steps, and knowledge builds across year groups. Children get off to a good start in early years with engaging mathematics activities, and this continues through the school. The curriculums in other subjects, such as art and geography, are also well sequenced and ambitious.

However, on occasions, teachers do not interpret this correctly and this leads to inconsistent outcomes for pupils. For example, sometimes activities selected are too challenging for pupils to complete or do not enable pupils to achieve the intended learning outcomes. Work produced does not always reflect subject leaders' expectations.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support. Leaders and teachers work with parents and carers to put suitable plans in place. Leaders and staff understand pupils' needs well.

Teachers make appropriate adaptations so that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum, such as additional adult support or practical equipment to help pupils learn.

Staff work collaboratively with colleagues across the trust in a variety of ways. This includes the co-production of curriculum documents and in the moderation of work.

This reduces workload. Staff appreciate having this time to collaborate and share expertise. Subject leaders have received training to help to develop their leadership roles.

However, some have not yet received sufficient support and training to understand and carry out their roles fully.

Personal development is a priority for this school. Pupils demonstrate a responsible and respectful attitude to life at school.

Pupils talk confidently about values such as respect, teamwork, care, ambition, fairness and honesty. They understand how these values have an impact on their own and others' lives. British values thread through the school and pupils understand their importance.

Staff feel that they are well supported. They say that leaders consider their well-being and work–life balance. The school and governors value opportunities to share expertise across the multi-academy trust (MAT).

The local governing body and the MAT understand and fulfil their roles in governance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe in school.

They are confident that any adult in school will help to resolve any issues or worries. Leaders make sure that pupils develop the knowledge they need to keep themselves safe.

Leaders maintain the belief that 'it could happen here'.

They ensure that appropriate policies and procedures are in place to protect children. Staff receive regular training that ensures that they can identify any problems that pupils may face. Staff have confidence in leaders to deal effectively with concerns they have raised.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff do not deliver the phonics programme consistently well. As a result, pupils, particularly those who are weaker readers, struggle to combine the sounds they know to be able to read fluently. Leaders must make sure that staff deliver the phonics programme well so that all pupils are able to read with fluency, accuracy and confidence.

• Some subject leaders have not checked how well their subject curriculum is being taught and delivered. As a result, some teachers deliver activities that do not help pupils to build on prior learning well enough, which limits pupils' progress through the intended curriculum. Senior leaders should provide subject leaders with further support and development to help them identify where the implementation of the curriculum needs to improve, and the support that teachers need to do this.