Stocks Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Stocks Lane Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers, teachers and governors all describe the school as one big family. Pupils have positive relationships with each other and the adults in the building.

Children in early years interact with maturity and respect. They are enthusiastic about their learning, and speak confidently about what they are learning now and what they have learned in the past.

Staff have extremely high expectations for all pupils' achievement and behaviour.

Pupils know the school rules of 'ready, respectful and safe'. Pupils behave well. Most pupils achieve high outcomes at the en...d of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics.

At the end of Year 1, a very high number of pupils achieve the expected standard in phonics. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of education.

Pupils feel safe in school.

They have trusted adults, or the 'worry monster', to talk to if they have any concerns. Pupils understand that making 'marvellous mistakes' is part of learning. This helps them to be resilient learners.

Pupils learn about healthy relationships. They can talk confidently about different religions and the characteristics of each. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

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

The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have constructed a curriculum that starts in Reception and builds knowledge over time through to the end of Year 6. The important knowledge that pupils will learn has been meticulously identified.

Opportunities to revisit this knowledge are built into the curriculum using 'Flashback 4' activities.

Teachers have good subject knowledge and use it to deliver lessons that are engaging. Teachers select good activities to deliver the curriculum, which can be teacher-led, paired or group work.

Pupils take part in these activities with enthusiasm and maturity. The quality of work in pupils' books is of a high standard. Pupils' learning is regularly checked against the curriculum outcomes.

Teachers address any gaps in knowledge with same-day interventions. In a small number of foundation subjects, this is not the case. As a result, sometimes, teachers do not identify and respond to misconceptions as fully as they do in other subjects.

Reading is a high priority for the school. Children in Reception learn phonics from their third week in school. Teachers are knowledgeable and enthusiastic in their delivery of phonics.

Children enjoy learning phonics and quickly learn to read. The school identifies anyone falling behind expected levels of progress and intervenes quickly. Adults deliver high-quality support to help these children catch up.

All pupils read daily. They spoke about their favourite books and authors. Pupils enjoy reading at this school.

The school identifies pupils with SEND through staff or parental referrals. Staff support pupils with SEND in lessons by adapting their teaching to meet their particular needs. All staff have received training to implement these strategies effectively.

Pupils with SEND make good progress in relation to their starting points.

Pupils attend well. The school's attendance figures are above national averages.

Attendance is closely monitored. When needed, leaders offer support and challenge to pupils and families to improve their attendance. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in the number of pupils who are persistently absent.

Pupils have a range of meaningful leadership opportunities, including reading ambassadors, playground leaders and members of the school council. Members of the school council are pen pals with residents of the local care home. Pupils learn about fundamental British values every week in assembly.

They have a weekly 'my happy mind' lesson to learn about mental health and well-being. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Leaders are mindful of staff's workload and well-being.

Staff feel supported and listened to. They are happy and proud to work at the school. Governors have a strong oversight of the school.

Leaders at all levels are passionate about providing the best education possible for the pupils at Stocks Lane Primary School.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of foundation subjects, teachers do not assess pupils' progress against the curriculum outcomes.

As a result, sometimes, teachers do not identify and respond to misconceptions as fully as they do in other subjects. The school should ensure that its approach to assessment is fully developed and implemented in these subjects.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2014.

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