Stenson Fields Primary Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Stenson Fields is a nurturing school. Pupils feel safe and happy. The school's 'CARES' values are weaved through all that they do.

Everyone is well looked after. Children get off to a great start in early years. Adults have developed strong relationships with pupils.

One pupil summed up the views of many when she explained that she loved coming to school each day to be with her friends and teachers, 'to work and play together'.

Adults have high expectations of pupils' learning and behaviour. Pupils are focused on their learning, and classrooms are calm.

Pupils who sometimes struggle are well supported by adults. They are taught about their feelings a...nd ways to recognise and manage these independently. Pupils say that 'friendship ambassadors' are there to help if they are feeling sad, for example.

Bullying is not tolerated. When it does happen, adults deal with it to ensure that it stops. However, some pupils are not clear about what bullying is and confuse this with falling out.

There is a variety of clubs available both after school and during lunchtimes. The 'jumping clay' art club is a firm favourite. Pupils enjoy residential visits to places such as Pine Lake.

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

The school provides a good quality of education. Staff have worked hard to improve the curriculum they provide. Leaders have a clear vision for how they want to develop the curriculum further.

The curriculum has been designed to ensure pupils' success in knowing and remembering more. Most subjects are well thought out and carefully planned. In these subjects, teachers make sure that pupils understand what they are learning and how this builds on what they already know.

Teachers use their good subject knowledge to explain new ideas to pupils clearly. Pupils enjoy their lessons and can articulate their learning in detail.

A few subjects are at a less advanced stage of planning.

These include art and design, computing, and design and technology. In these subjects, pupils do not recall important knowledge or use subject-specific vocabulary as confidently as they do in most other subjects. Leaders are well on the way to developing these subjects as part of the whole curriculum.

The systems that teachers use to check pupils' understanding in these subjects are at an early stage of implementation.

Leaders have implemented a new reading programme to help pupils to become accurate and fluent readers. Pupils are well supported in the early stages of learning to read.

Staff pay close attention to how well pupils learn sounds. They provide extra support for pupils when they need to. The teaching of early reading is particularly strong in early years.

Adults have very high expectations of children's learning. Children use the sounds they know to independently read unfamiliar words. The books used by pupils to help them learn to read are well matched to the sounds they know.

Pupils enjoy reading and talk confidently about their favourite books.

The early years environment is stimulating and purposeful. Leaders have clear, and high, curriculum expectations, and staff model new learning very well for children.

Children are excited about their learning and carry this enthusiasm through into their play. They are well prepared for key stage 1. Children achieve well, particularly in writing.

When they are writing, children form their letters correctly. They use their knowledge of the sounds that letters represent to spell many words correctly. Adults develop strong, nurturing relationships with children.

Behaviour in early years is exemplary. Children listen to adults and to each other well. They display very good manners, and high levels of self-control and respect for others.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to succeed in school. Most parents and carers of these children agree. Staff use training and resources effectively to quickly identify pupils' needs and the most effective support to match.

Pupils with SEND receive the extra help that they need, so that they can learn the same curriculum as their peers.

Pupils demonstrate respect and tolerance of the views and opinions of others. However, some struggle to discuss confidently some of the things that may make people different from each other, such as religion, sexuality and gender.

They understand the importance of these topics and say that they would like to learn more about them.

Governors regularly visit the school and ensure that they are kept well informed. They hold leaders to account effectively.

Staff are proud to work at the school. They say that senior leaders have everyone's well-being at the heart of all they do.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, including the family support worker, know pupils and families well. Staff receive training and updates on how to keep pupils safe. Teachers know the warning signs that a child may be in danger and what to do if they are concerned.

Senior leaders' responses to concerns raised are appropriate. Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that pupils and families get the support they need.

Pupils typically describe their school as a safe place to be.

One pupil said: 'It is because the adults look after us.' The vast majority of parents agree. Staff teach pupils how to stay safe both inside and outside school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned in some subjects. In subjects such as art and design, computing, and design and technology, leaders have not identified the core knowledge that they want pupils to learn. As a result, teachers do not teach this knowledge explicitly and pupils do not develop the necessary depth of understanding of the concepts that they are learning.

However, it is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. ? Pupils are tolerant of the views and opinions of others.

However, pupils typically lack a deep understanding of the features that make people similar or different and how these differences are celebrated. Further work is needed to ensure that all pupils have a better understanding of British values and the protected characteristics. Leaders should develop their planning to ensure that pupils' learning in these areas is incorporated into the school's curriculum for personal development.

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