Stanway Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Stanway Primary School. They respond well to the school motto, 'Be the best that you can be'.

The school is a happy and safe place for pupils to make friends and care for others. Pupils respect each other's differences. They support their community by organising donations to local food banks and are kind to each other on the playground.

Bullying is rare. If any problems arise, staff quickly resolve them and stop them from happening again.

Pupils behave well.

They appreciate the praise they receive for doing the right thing. It is rare for poor behaviour to disrupt lessons. Most pupils quickly correct their behaviour and follow ...adults' instructions.

Children in the early years settle quickly and enjoy learning. Visitors, such as theatre groups and authors, help pupils to deepen their knowledge. Pupils talk with excitement about their learning.

Many pupils enjoy taking on extra responsibilities. Pupils embrace opportunities like joining school clubs, raising money for charity and being school councillors. Prefects and reading ambassadors are positive role models for other children.

Pupils are well supported to become happy, confident learners through the school's personal, social, health and economic programme.

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

Leaders have designed an effective curriculum. Recently, some changes have been introduced to give pupils more opportunities to revisit important knowledge and skills.

The planned curriculum starts in Reception. Leaders have carefully considered the order in which knowledge should be taught. In each subject, plans show teachers what to teach and when.

Teachers spot quickly if a pupil is falling behind or has an error in their understanding. Teachers put help in place to support pupils to catch up. However, in subjects other than English and mathematics, assessment systems are not fully developed.

This means that leaders do not have a clear picture of how well pupils remember important information over time.

Teachers have good knowledge of the subjects they teach. They explain concepts and ideas clearly, referring pupils back to what they already know.

As a result, pupils build their knowledge of each subject gradually, over time. For example, in science, pupils can design their own experiments and form simple hypotheses by the time they finish Year 6. Reception children learn number facts well, and build on this to become confident mathematicians.

Teachers adapt their lessons well to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Clear support plans outline strategies to meet pupils' needs. Teachers use this information effectively so that pupils with SEND access the ambitious curriculum and learn as well as their peers.

Reading is central to the curriculum. Learning is enriched with books from a wide variety of authors and genres. Leaders are introducing more books celebrating different cultures.

Children enjoy reading and being read to. Pupils love to change their books in the new, well-stocked library. Pupils have individual reading targets and love the challenge of reading a million words.

Leaders have recently introduced a new scheme for teaching pupils to read. This starts early in Reception, where children explore books with staff and quickly learn phonics. Books that help pupils to read are closely matched to pupils' reading knowledge.

Adults support the weakest readers well.

The personal development programme underpins leaders' drive to prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. Leaders have given careful thought to planning rich experiences which develop pupils' character.

Pupils enjoy taking on extra responsibilities, such as being reading ambassadors, school councillors and prefects.

Staff use a fair and consistent approach to dealing with pupils' behaviour. The carefully planned use of the nurture room supports pupils who need extra help or support.

As a result, the school is calm and purposeful.

Leaders expect the very best from staff as well as pupils. A range of training opportunities help staff in their roles.

Nevertheless, leaders of foundation subjects do not always get the time to monitor the impact of their work.

Governors fulfil their responsibilities effectively and work closely with leaders to ensure that staff's well-being is maintained. Parents and staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know how to spot if a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff understand how to report concerns to safeguarding leaders.

Any concerns are followed up quickly and referred appropriately to external agencies. Leaders ensure that pupils and their families get the right help at the right time.

Leaders carry out necessary checks on those new to the school.

They make sure all staff are safe to work with children.

As a result of effective teaching, pupils have a good understanding about risks to themselves and about how to keep safe from harm. They trust adults in the school to look after them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers do not use assessment effectively to check what pupils have learned over time. As a result, some pupils have gaps in what they are able to remember which staff have not identified. Leaders need to ensure that assessment is used consistently well across the curriculum to check what pupils know.

• Leaders' monitoring of the curriculum, in subjects other than English and mathematics, is underdeveloped. As a result, they cannot easily prioritise their improvement work or judge the impact of the support they are providing. Senior leaders should give subject leaders sufficient time and training to monitor their subjects.

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