Teagues Bridge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Teagues Bridge is a place where pupils feel celebrated for who they are. Warm relationships, with an emphasis on being kind, result in pupils feeling safe, happy and cared for.

Despite many challenges and some significant staffing changes, leaders have successfully ensured that pupils' happiness and welfare have remained a key priority.

Outcomes by the end of key stage two in reading, writing and mathematics are not where they should be. Work to improve learning in these subjects is not yet impacting on what all pupils know and can do.

Most pupils behave respectfully, and many demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. Some hold leadership roles and ar...e actively involved in influencing school policies. Pupils develop a sense of moral responsibility by identifying charities that they want to support and then organising fundraising events themselves.

Extra-curricular activities such as karate, drama and multi-skills enable pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils enjoy experiencing a wide range of clubs.

Pupils understand the importance of being inclusive and have a good understanding of different faiths and cultures.

They speak confidently about protected characteristics and that values such as mutual respect and tolerance underpin what is good about their school.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has been working to address key priorities such as the development of wider curriculum subjects and improving the teaching of mathematics. Their early work is beginning to impact positively on the quality of education.

However, there is much work still to do. The school is working with external advisers to secure such improvements, and this work is helping to develop a more effective provision. Nevertheless, senior leaders have not had sufficient time and opportunities to monitor how well the new curriculum is being delivered.

They have also not had sufficient opportunities to develop a wider leadership team. While governors are supportive of the school, they do not have an accurate view of the school's performance or a precise enough understanding of what needs improving.

Staff feel well supported and know that their well-being matters to leaders.

They know that the many changes they have had to deliver are to improve the curriculum for their pupils.

Pupils' outcomes by the end of key stage 2 in mathematics, reading and writing do not reflect what pupils at this school are capable of achieving. However, teaching in these subjects has improved, and some pupils are now producing work that better reflects their abilities and they are more positive about their learning as a result.

The schools' work to develop wider curriculum subjects remains at an early stage and some subjects are not being taught as frequently as they could be. Assessment systems are not in place in a number of curriculum subjects. This means misconceptions and gaps in pupils' learning are not identified, and pupils are not being supported to build on prior knowledge effectively.

Children start learning to read as soon as they enter the school. Most go on to read fluently by the time they leave key stage 1. Pupils enjoy reading and being read to by their teachers.

They develop an understanding of new words when listening to their teachers, helping to widen their vocabulary. Those who fall behind with their reading are well supported to catch up with their peers. The school's library is vibrant and full of books from different time periods and cultures.

Pupils read often and widely outside of school, and parents support by reporting progress.

Most children in the early years get off to a good start. However, this is not yet the case for all.

Many display a readiness for learning and feel safe due to the strong relationships they form with adults. Children learn to understand their emotions and enjoy sharing stories and rhymes when learning to read. Developing children's communication and language has seen many make good improvements since the start of the year.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are increasingly well supported. The school adopts a creative approach to ensuring that pupils with SEND are able to access the same curriculum as their peers. Work to develop effective teaching approaches for all pupils with SEND is impacting positively on their learning.

External agencies work well with the school to identify needs at an early stage and put effective support in place.

Most pupils are courteous and show good manners. They speak respectfully to each other and are aspirational for their futures.

The school has effective systems in place to reward positive behaviour and adapt what they do to address problems when they arise. Pupils who require additional support really value the investment that adults provide, and this helps them to improve their behaviour.

One pupil commented, 'Everyone is different and therefore everyone is treated differently' when describing how discrimination is not accepted at their school.

Being 'who they are' is something that pupils feel is encouraged. They feel this will support them when they go to their next school and help them contribute positively to wider society.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Governors do not have an accurate view of the school's performance or a precise enough understanding of what needs improving. As a result, they are unable to hold leaders to account effectively. The school should ensure that those responsible for governance receive the necessary support to enable them to be more effective in their roles.

• Senior leaders have not monitored the impact of improvement actions closely enough. Therefore, they do not have a sufficiently detailed oversight of the school's overall effectiveness. The school should ensure that senior leaders have sufficient opportunities to monitor the impact of the curriculum to enable them to identify further improvement priorities.

• In many subjects, there are inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is being delivered. As a result, the school is not yet seeing the intended impact on pupils' learning. The school should ensure that staff are delivering the curriculum as intended and effectively.

• Assessment processes are not in place for many subjects and where present, do not focus upon the important subject-specific knowledge that pupils need to know. As a result, learning moves on without some pupils having a secure understanding of key knowledge. The school should ensure that all subjects have effective assessment systems in place to check what pupils have learned.

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