St Philip’s CofE Aided Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St Philip's are happy and confident learners.

The school's values of 'safe- caring-positive' underpin all activity in school. Adults support pupils to develop attitudes that will help them learn and socialise in the future. Pupils say that school 'teaches us to be kind' and 'we accept everyone regardless of who they are'.

Pupils work hard with focus and enthusiasm because staff expect a lot from them. They contribute willingly to discussions about learning. Teachers support all pupils to get involved and achieve their best.

Pupils are polite and positively respond to adults they work with. Pupil behaviour is good both in lessons and at playtimes. Pu...pils say they feel safe and that adults quickly resolve individual problems if they arise.

They say that bullying incidents are not common.

Pupils enjoy the wide range of opportunities that staff provide to develop their wider interests. They share positive memories of residential trips and enjoy after-school clubs such as art, Taekwondo and archery.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious and relevant curriculum for pupils in the school. Most subject leaders are clear about the key knowledge pupils need to gain over time. Leaders provide the support to other staff to make sure teaching is consistently effective.

In a few subjects, where plans are not fully implemented, leaders have clear plans for completing this work.

The recent improvements to the teaching of phonics are having a positive impact. Staff use their specialist knowledge to fully engage all pupils in phonics learning from when they join the Reception Year.

Adults regularly check that pupils remember the important phonics knowledge they are being taught. This helps pupils with their confidence in reading. Weaker readers in key stage 2 are being supported with the recently adopted phonics programme.

This is starting to help these pupils catch up. Over their time in school, pupils learn to love reading for pleasure. Older pupils are proud to talk about the books they enjoy.

Teachers know what motivates pupils and this supports them to plan engaging lessons. Teachers skilfully make sure pupils link new learning with previous learning. This contributes to pupils developing a rich web of useful knowledge, which helps them to learn effectively and, consequently, achieve well.

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) curriculum provides significant support for children to develop their personal, social and emotional capabilities. Learning opportunities are considered carefully to capture the imagination of the children from the point they join pre-school. This supports children to develop across all areas of learning.

However, while this is the case, there are occasions when the curriculum plans in early years do not make clear enough links to the knowledge children will be learning in Year 1. This can result in children not being fully prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well to access the full curriculum.

Teachers are skilled at adapting plans and providing the right support to make sure pupils with SEND know and remember more. The effective systems for assessing and reviewing pupils' specific needs are also being used successfully to improve the progress disadvantaged pupils make.

Staff have clear expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Any concerns are addressed swiftly. This means learning environments throughout the school are consistently calm and purposeful. Pupils have respect for their school and enjoy the praise they receive for their positive engagement.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme supports pupils' personal development well. Leaders make use of assemblies and 'values days' so pupils can explore human qualities in more depth, such as tolerance. Pupils take responsibility for contributing to and influencing decisions in their school.

Leaders' commitment to improvement is enhancing the experience of pupils in every year group. Staff are supported with relevant training to grow their leadership skills. This is making sure that changes to the subject plans are improving pupils' lessons.

Governors provide a good balance of support and challenge for leaders and this is successfully supporting the school to improve.

Some parents and carers are dissatisfied with the quality of communication they have received from the school. Leaders and governors have been proactive in listening to the views of parents.

They have been reflective about feedback received to ensure the school can continue to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders prioritise the safeguarding of pupils at the school and take all concerns seriously.

Consequently, pupils say they feel safe at school and name trusted adults who they would talk to if worried.

Well-established routines ensure staff share information if they are concerned. If required, leaders swiftly seek external professional services to make sure pupils receive the right support.

Staff receive regular and relevant training to support their work to keep pupils safe. This means all adults confidently understand about different types of bullying and how to spot signs that a child might be at risk of harm.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects.

However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to address these areas within the current academic year. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. ? The curriculum in the EYFS does not link clearly enough to subject learning in Year 1.

This means teachers in Year 1 do not have a strong enough understanding of the foundation knowledge pupils already have to build upon. Leaders must ensure links between curriculum plans are fully considered to support pupils in the Reception Year being prepared effectively for their next stage of learning. ? Leaders have not always communicated their plans and views effectively enough.

As a result, a significant minority of parents feel concerns raised with leaders are not always responded to well. They do not have full confidence in decisions leaders are making to support their children. Leaders and governors should continue the work started to engage effectively with the parent and carer community, providing the clear information that parents need.

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