Surfleet Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this small school, which sits in the heart of its community. Every morning staff greet the pupils and check if they are ready to undertake the day's learning.

Pupils have positive relationships with staff and feel safe and happy here.

This school supports pupils to work hard, be kind and achieve. Pupils know their hard work and positive attitude will be rewarded with 'surf points'.'

Golden surfs' are awarded to those that go above and beyond. This helps pupils aim high and achieve in their learning.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the support that they need to be involved in all the school h...as to offer.

All pupils have ample opportunities to contribute to the school. For example, there is an active school and reading council. Wildlife Warriors help ensure that the outdoor garden areas are well maintained.

Playground leaders ensure that there are games and activities at lunch time to keep all pupils busy.

The overwhelming majority of parents and carers would recommend this school. Parents of pupils who join the school mid-term are particularly appreciative of the school's work to integrate each pupil into the school community quickly.

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

This school has developed an ambitious curriculum that every pupil studies. The curriculum is constructed with consideration for the mixed-age classes. Curriculum cycles ensure that any repetition in teaching adds more complexity to what pupils learned in the last cycle.

Pupils build their knowledge across the curriculum in all subjects.

The curriculum explicitly identifies core knowledge and the skills pupils will develop. Teachers pay particular attention in checking that pupils acquire this knowledge.

For example, in key stage 1, teachers check that pupils have a secure understanding of how animals can be classified, before they start to explore habitats. As a result, pupils connect new learning to what they know. In some subjects, teachers, do not always focus on subject-specific skills precisely enough.

For example, in geography, although pupils get a firm understanding of place and location knowledge, they do not always develop geographical skills such as reading maps in as much detail.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Retrieval activities are purposefully used to check that pupils know and remember important knowledge.

Teachers adapt teaching well to ensure that pupils with SEND can achieve. However, there are some occasions still when teachers present too much information all at once. When this happens, some pupils lose focus and do not learn as well as they should.

Children start to learn to read as soon as they start in Reception Year. Staff are experts in the teaching of early reading. Pupils read books which are well matched to their reading ability daily.

Accurate assessment identifies pupils who are at risk of falling behind. These pupils get additional support so that they quickly catch up. Pupils become speedy readers and can access the full curriculum as a result.

Whole- class reads introduce pupils to different genres and support their social and cultural development. Pupils have spaces in the school where they can 'get lost in a book' of their choice. Pupils develop a love of reading.

Children in the early years are well prepared for more formal education. The mixed-age classes help children to get to grips with routines which help them learn. Children benefit from some of the input that older pupils get.

Expert staff then bring this to life in the early years provision through well-planned activities and purposeful play. Children develop early scientific vocabulary such as 'off-spring' as they develop an understanding of the world.

Pupils behave well.

The school is calm and orderly. There are strong relationships between pupils and staff. For the small number of pupils who struggle with some expectations, staff are on hand to help them so they can continue their learning.

The school takes swift and decisive action if pupils are at risk of becoming persistently absent. This ensures that all pupils attend well and benefit from the education that the school provides.

Pupils understand British values and the protected characteristics.

They have benefited from a trip to a mosque, and the links they have with a local church. Pupils are accepting of, and value, differences.

Staff enjoy working at this school.

Those who lead the school consider staff's workload and well-being as they continue to improve the school further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasions, teachers present too much information to pupils all at once.

This can overload some pupils' working memory. When this happens, some pupils lose focus and do not learn as well as they should. The school must ensure that teachers present information in a way that does not overload pupils' working memory.

• In a few subjects, teaching does not focus sharply on the knowledge that enables pupils to develop subject-specific skills. In these subjects, pupils do not always develop these subject-specific skills as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that teachers teach the essential knowledge that leads pupils to develop subject-specific skills in all subjects.