Tanners Brook Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now.

The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

The head of school is Ingrid Dowse. This school is part of HISP Multi-Academy Trust Ltd, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the interim chief executive officer, David Pike, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Shirley Ann Langran. There is also an executive headteacher, Jess Paul, who is res...ponsible for this school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils embody the school's values in this kind and caring school.

Staff make sure that all pupils, beginning with children in the Reception Year, receive a warm welcome each day. They are keen to hear pupils' views and take prompt action to resolve any concerns. This ensures that pupils feel happy and safe.

Parents appreciate the care given to their children and rightly recognise this is a strength of the school.

Pupils' conduct around school is calm and polite. Staff show and teach pupils how to meet their high expectations for behaviour.

This begins with carefully embedded routines in the early years. Pupils behave respectfully towards each other. They work hard in lessons and they are keen to learn.

While the school is keen for all pupils to achieve well, some aspects of the quality of education need to improve swiftly. The school has prioritised some areas of the curriculum. This is having an impact in some subjects.

However, weaknesses in other parts of the curriculum mean that pupils have developed gaps in their learning. Consequently, pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they should be.

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

Early reading is taught well.

The phonics and early reading curriculum defines precisely what the school wants pupils to know and by when. Staff start to teach phonics as soon as children join the Reception Year. Pupils read regularly, and leaders design support carefully to help those who struggle to become more fluent readers.

Because of this, pupils draw upon prior knowledge and remember their learning well. They are well prepared for the next stages of their learning.

The school has a broad curriculum.

In some subjects, such as mathematics, the school has identified the knowledge that pupils should learn precisely. However, in some other subjects the school has not sequenced the curriculum sufficiently well. It is not set out in a logical order, building on the early years, so that pupils can acquire knowledge securely over time.

This means that teachers are not always clear about what to teach and when. Furthermore, as the content of learning is not clear, teachers cannot check what pupils know and remember effectively. Therefore, teachers do not always recognise and address gaps in pupils' learning.

Some pupils do not achieve as well as they should in some subjects.

There are effective systems to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff work well with parents and a range of professionals to support pupils with education, health and care plans.

However, for other pupils with SEND, the school does not adapt teaching consistently well to meet their needs. Therefore, sometimes staff do not know how to support pupils effectively and this means these pupils do not achieve as well as they should.Pupils' attendance is improving.

This is because the school emphasises the importance of regular and punctual attendance at school. Staff and parents work together to ensure that pupils are given the appropriate support to improve their attendance. The school provides a range of opportunities to develop pupils' character and prepare them for their next steps.

Pupils enjoy developing their talents and interests in a number of activities, including choir practice, sports and gardening clubs. They are eager to take on responsibilities in school and in the local community such as helping with the Tanners Brook 'tidy up'.A broad range of trips and experiences reinforces pupils' cultural and spiritual understanding.

Pupils, from Reception Year onwards, receive an appropriate programme of personal, social and health education. Pupils have a keen understanding of fundamental British values and know how to keep themselves safe outside and online. They experience democracy through the leadership opportunities the school offers pupils such as serving as school prefects.

The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils are a priority in accessing the wide range of clubs. Staff build the resilience of pupils through adventurous activities on a range of residential trips.The school has a clear understanding of its strengths and areas for development.

It recognises the improvements that are needed in the quality of education. The trust supports the school and fulfils its statutory duties effectively. Staff recognise and appreciate the high levels of support that the school offers them to help them manage their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not designed or sequenced sufficiently well in some subjects. This means that teachers are not always clear about what to teach and when.

Sometimes, pupils' learning in Year 1 does not build on the early years effectively. The school must ensure that the curriculum is designed and implemented in a way that helps pupils achieve well across all subjects. ? Teachers do not gather and use assessment information consistently well.

In some subjects, pupils have gaps in their knowledge because teachers are unaware of what pupils know and understand. The school should ensure that teachers understand fully what pupils have learned so that they can adapt subsequent lessons to meet pupils' needs effectively. ? The needs of some pupils with SEND are not yet met well enough.

As a result, these pupils do not develop their knowledge well enough across the curriculum. The school must ensure learning is adapted effectively for all pupils with SEND so that they achieve well overall.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2018.

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