Swavesey Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Swavesey Primary School is a nurturing and inclusive school where pupils are happy and safe. Whether pupils join straight away in the early years or later from a different setting or country, they are made to feel welcome. This helps new pupils settle quickly and participate fully in school life.

Staff ensure that the relationships they establish with pupils are caring and respectful. They listen carefully and help to resolve any worries that pupils may have effectively. Parents overwhelmingly have extremely positive views about the school.

Pupils understand adults' high expectations. Consequently, they behave and achieve well. They contribute well in lessons.
.../>Pupils are polite and well mannered. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Bullying does not happen very often.

When it does, it is not tolerated.

Children in the early years have a positive start to their education. They enjoy a well-designed curriculum that supports their development successfully.

Pupils benefit considerably from the opportunity to participate in a wide range of exciting and stimulating clubs. These include history, gardening and recorder club. Highly tailored enrichment opportunities, such as working with visitors who provide expertise and first-hand experiences, contribute significantly to pupils' personal development.

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

The school has designed an interesting and well-sequenced curriculum. It is planned clearly so that it builds pupils' knowledge and skills in a logical way over time. Staff frequently check how well pupils retain and apply their learning.

However, in a small number of subjects, leaders are still refining the subject-specific details they want pupils to learn. Consequently, it is not always clear how pupils' learning builds precisely over time.

Early years provision is effective.

Staff are skilled in presenting children with appropriate and interesting activities. Consequently, children become active and engaged learners. They develop their knowledge and skills successfully.

This includes using rangoli patterns to help with number and letter recognition. Children develop positive attitudes from the outset. They show enjoyment and high levels of concentration as they learn and explore.

Even at this early stage, children understand and follow classroom routines. They cooperate and help each other. Children are ready for Year 1.

A strong reading culture underpins the curriculum. As a result, many pupils become confident and fluent readers. A love of reading starts in the pre-school.

The reading curriculum ensures children get off to a flying start. The school has set out clearly the sounds pupils should know and remember week by week. All staff receive effective training.

This enables them to teach phonics consistently well. For pupils at risk of falling behind, there is effective, targeted support that helps them to catch up. Pupils, including those in the early years, talk knowledgeably and enthusiastically about the books they have read or have had read to them.

More confident readers are encouraged to read more widely. Consequently, they read frequently and, over time, develop positive attitudes to reading.

The school ensures that pupils receive an exceptionally strong personal development program.

For example, pupils are knowledgeable about rights, responsibilities and respect. There is a sharp focus on equity and ambition for all. Pupils have opportunities to develop their leadership skills.

These are through roles such as being a school or eco-councillor, organising clubs for younger pupils and taking responsibility for the allotment and chicken coop. As a result, pupils learn to make positive contributions and improvements to their school.

Pupils understand how their learning relates to the world of work exceptionally well.

Visits from authors, engineers and doctors help to raise their aspirations. Pastoral care is strong. Staff work hard to support pupils' well-being.

Pupils maintain strong and respectful relationships both with adults and each other. Staff set clear expectations to ensure classrooms are productive spaces for learning. Pupils learn with little disruption.

The school keeps clear records of any incidents of poor conduct. This means that leaders spot any unusual patterns. They intervene quickly to stop issues from escalating.

Therefore, the school is a calm and orderly place for learning.

The governing body is well trained and knowledgeable. This ensures that the school is held to account for the actions it takes.

Governors and school leaders share the same values and vision. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Staff value the extensive training opportunities on offer.

They feel valued and well supported and acknowledge that leaders are considerate of their well-being. They are proud to work at the 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 subjects, the school is yet to finalise the subject-specific content and vocabulary that it wants pupils to learn. Consequently, teachers are not always clear how pupils' learning builds over time. The school should ensure that all subjects are planned and sequenced in detail so teachers know precisely what to teach and when to teach it.