Stanton Bridge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are getting a good deal. They learn a wide range of subjects and are happy.

Pupils from lots of different backgrounds work and play together cheerfully. Pupils feel safe because they trust the staff looking after them. They build good relationships and like their teachers.'

Bubble time' appointments with staff allow pupils to talk through any worries.

Staff and governors have very high expectations for pupils. They encourage pupils to be ambitious, take pride in themselves and value others.

Regardless of background, opportunities are offered to every child to help them enjoy school and achieve well.

Pupils' behaviour is... excellent. They are polite, helpful and considerate to others.

Unkind behaviour and bullying are rare but if they happen, they are quickly dealt with by staff. Pupils work hard and readily offer support to others in their class.

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests in different areas such as sports, music and art.'

Spark time' on Friday afternoons helps to spark pupils' imagination and provide a fun element to school. Trips to London, Café Rouge and the Space Centre add to pupils' personal development and enjoyment.

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

Leaders and staff have given careful thought to what they want pupils to know and be able to do.

Well-planned lessons ensure that pupils achieve well in different subjects, including English and mathematics. Science and geography information is taught in the right order. This means that pupils build up their skills and knowledge progressively.

Events and visits also aid pupils' learning to make sure pupils remember things long term. Pupils learn about different artists, know about different world religions, and can say short sentences in French. Pupils have a good grounding in all curriculum subjects.

This is because these are taught regularly and made interesting.

Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is a strength of the school. Weekly teaching encourages pupils to form and express their opinions but also consider the opinions of others.

Pupils discuss and debate different issues. All statements begin with, 'I believe that' or, 'In my opinion'. Pupils generate thought-provoking questions, for example, 'Does your appearance affect how others treat you?' Democratic voting decides which question is discussed.

These lessons add significantly to pupils' personal development and their communication skills.

Phonics is taught as soon as children join school. Children in early years get off to a good start in reading.

Books provided allow pupils to practise the sounds they learn in lessons. Leaders have prioritised reading because they understand its importance. Staff receive training and feedback to help improve their practice.

All classes have well-stocked book corners to encourage a love of reading. The '100 reading challenge' introduced encourages pupils to read 100 selected books by the time they leave the school. However, lower-ability pupils get off to a slower start.

This is because they are not heard reading aloud regularly by staff at school. Many remain on the same book for too long, even if they can read it.

Staff in early years are friendly and approachable.

They give parents and carers lots of information about school life. Good communication between home and school helps children settle quickly. Effective teaching keeps children safe, busy and happy.

Adults model language well and encourage children to use full sentences when answering questions. Teachers use traditional stories, such as 'The Little Red Hen', to plan imaginative activities. They promote children's early literacy and mathematical skills well.

Outdoor activities and using small equipment help develop children's physical skills. Well-organised learning journals capture the wide range of work that children experience.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive valuable support in lessons and extra sessions.

However, sometimes, staff are too quick to identify pupils as having SEND when this is not accurate. Individual targets and plans set up for pupils are also not consistent. They do not match pupils' needs or reflect the level of concern leaders have.

This means that these pupils learn less well in some year groups.

Pupils learn to be reflective and thoughtful. They have a detailed knowledge and understanding of British values.

They practise respect and tolerance to the highest level within their own school. Pupils know the importance of healthy living and that mental health is equally important.

Governors are dedicated and supportive.

They ensure that staff well-being is a school priority. As such, staff workload when marking pupils' work has been reduced considerably. However, governors do not check whether government funding allocated to the school for disadvantaged pupils is used as stated in the school plan.

The key stage 2 results in 2019 were withheld by the Standards and Testing Agency. An investigation is being undertaken.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff are vigilant and care about pupils. They make sure that pupils get support both within school and from other agencies. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe as a result of lessons and assemblies.

Leaders act straight away when they detect a local problem, for example unsuitable access to social media sites. Leaders seek advice and follow up more serious concerns. They are relentless in chasing up agencies that do not respond.

All staff receive regular training. Leaders check that staff recruited to work in school are suitable to work with children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Lower-ability pupils do not make sufficient progress in reading to read at age-appropriate levels.

This is because they are not heard reading aloud regularly in school by staff, and books are not always matched to their ability. Leaders should increase reading opportunities for lower-ability pupils and ensure that books are suitably challenging so that pupils become confident and fluent readers as quickly as possible. .

The system that leaders use to identify, monitor and provide support for pupils with SEND is unclear. Some pupils have individual education plans and targets but are not shown on the SEND register. Other have targets but are not on the SEND register.

Some children in early years are described as having SEND difficulties before they have settled fully in school. Leaders should ensure that pupils with SEND are accurately identified and there is a clear system in place to support pupils. .

Governors do not monitor or check how the pupil premium funding is spent. They do not know if the intended actions set out in the school's plan are implemented. Governors should hold senior leaders more fully to account for how this grant is used to ensure that funding is targeted at disadvantaged pupils.

. The key stage 2 results in 2019 were withheld by the Standards and Testing Agency, which is conducting an investigation. If that investigation identifies any lessons to be learned by the school, these must be actioned fully to avoid any similar problems in future.