St. Clements Hill Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend St Clements Hill.

They are polite, friendly and show respect towards one another. They are valued, listened to, and seen as individuals. Positive relationships between adults and pupils mean that pupils behave well.

They are happy and safe in school.

Pupils enjoy the chance to complete many of the '60 Experiences' that adults provide for them. These opportunities, such as baking a cake or sewing a button, help pupils learn real-life skills.

Pupils know about differences between themselves and others. They are keen to celebrate these diversities, leading to a well-established culture of respect for all.

Bullying is ...very rare.

Pupils have faith that adults will help them if they have a problem. If a pupil shares a worry with an adult, they know that it will be taken seriously and sorted out.

In Reception, children benefit from a well-designed curriculum.

It helps them gain the knowledge necessary for their future learning. However, the rest of the school's curriculum has areas which require further improvement to support pupils achieving as well as they could.

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

Leaders have an accurate view of their school.

They have galvanised the staff team, including many new teachers this year, to work in harmony to develop the quality of education pupils receive. The strong, shared vision of leaders, a school where pupils thrive, is understood by all.

Reading takes top priority.

The youngest children are provided with many rich opportunities to learn and use new words. This helps them when they learn to read, which most pupils do with accuracy and confidence. Adults are skilled at teaching the school's phonics programme.

They provide expert support for pupils who find learning to read tricky. As pupils move through the school, they read high-quality texts, carefully selected by adults. They develop a real love of reading.

Leaders are proactive and determined to improve the school. They have recently redesigned the curriculum. In the subjects where the curriculum design is more developed, such as mathematics, pupils generally learn well.

In too many subjects, though, leaders have not set out the precise knowledge pupils need to learn. This means that pupils do not always build on what they know and do not develop the detailed knowledge they need. Leaders are taking the right actions in the right order to bring about improvement.

However, currently the quality of education is not yet good.

Children in the Reception classes are well taught and cared for. The curriculum there is long established and carefully designed.

Children are supported by adults who know them extremely well. Every opportunity is taken to talk with, and read to, children, including questions about what they are learning. Adults make accurate assessments of what children know and can do, and activities are skilfully adapted as a result.

This helps children build the knowledge they need in preparation for Year 1.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given high-quality support. Teaching assistants work closely with teachers to ensure effective adaptions are made to give pupils with SEND the same curriculum as their peers.

Those who need extra support with their social and emotional needs receive well-tailored guidance.

The programme to promote pupils' personal development helps them understand the wider world in which they live. Pupils raise money for local charities.

These causes are decided by pupils. They know that no one is an 'outsider', and they welcome and value the differences they see between themselves and others. Pupils are supported to work to overcome challenges they face in their learning and day-to-day lives.

They become increasingly resilient as they move through the school.

Pupils enjoy lessons. They pay close attention to adults.

There is very little disruption, which means pupils concentrate well in lessons.

Members of the local governance committee (LGC), trustees and trust leaders work together to support and challenge school leaders. Those responsible for governance carry out their strategic roles well.

They have provided strong support for the headteacher in putting in place a capable team of staff who share leaders' high aspirations for every pupil.

Teachers receive effective training from leaders and the trust. They value this, along with the support leaders give them in managing their workload.

However, there is more to do to ensure teachers have strong subject knowledge in the subjects they teach. Currently, this is not the case. This means that, in some subjects, teachers do not have the subject-specific knowledge to quickly address misconception pupils have.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Adults are vigilant and alert to the signs that a pupil may need help. They know how to report any concerns they may have.

Concerns are followed up thoroughly. When pupils need help, leaders are quick to put this in place. There is a positive culture of safeguarding throughout the school.

The checks made on adults before they start work in the school are rigorous. Trust leaders make regular checks to be sure that the school is doing all it should to keep pupils safe. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, especially when using the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the most important knowledge pupils need to learn. This means teaching does not always build on prior learning and pupils do not develop detailed knowledge in these subjects. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum in each subject clearly identifies the most important knowledge pupils need to know and remember, so they achieve well across the whole curriculum.

• Not all teachers have secure subject knowledge across the curriculum. This means that they do not always successfully identify and correct some misconceptions in pupils' understanding. Leaders must ensure that teachers receive training to strengthen their subject knowledge, so that pupils' learning is improved.