Tenterfields Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school, feel safe and are happy.

They attend well and are keen to learn. Pupils, staff and parents say the school has improved a lot since September. They say the new interim headteacher is making a difference.

Teachers have high expectations of what pupils should be able to do in a wide range of subjects. Lessons are interesting and pupils say teachers make learning fun. Pupils particularly enjoy physical education (PE), art, mathematics and science.

Staff expect pupils to behave well at all times. This includes even the youngest children in the early years who follow instructions and listen closely to adults. Pupils are polite and friendly.
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They get on well together and show respect towards adults. Bullying is rare. Pupils know the difference between one-off incidents and repeated bullying.

They are confident that staff deal with any unkind behaviour quickly.

Pupils readily take on different roles and responsibilities. These include anti-bullying ambassadors, do-jo monitors, student senate members and looking after younger pupils.

A wide range of clubs, visitors and trips add to pupils' enjoyment of school. Parents are now highly positive about the school. They appreciate the changes introduced recently, the improved communication and approachability of staff.

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

The school experienced unforeseen changes in leadership last year. These changes affected the views of some parents and staff. However, the trust provided strong support to maintain stability for pupils.

Things have now improved. Staff and parents have regained their confidence in leadership and are supportive.

Planning in English and mathematics is very thorough.

English is now a strength of the school. Mathematics has also been an area of focus. Training, coaching and support provided to teachers have improved planning and teaching.

Pupils' achievement is now rising.

Leaders and staff have worked with other trust schools to review and improve the quality of curriculum planning. Many, but not all, themes are carefully sequenced to build pupils' knowledge.

Teachers use appropriate short revision exercises and assessment checks throughout the topic.

Lessons are engaging. New content is introduced well.

Teachers are knowledgeable in subjects such as history, science and PE. Resources and exciting activities help make learning memorable and meaningful. For example, Year 2 pupils were fascinated by the recording they heard of Neil Armstrong's first words when he landed on the moon.

However, pupils' knowledge and skills in art, religious education (RE) and French are less well developed. These subjects are not yet planned or sequenced as well as other subjects.

Teachers prioritise literacy and mathematics in the early years.

Children read, write and work with numbers every day. Stories, such as 'The Gruffalo' capture children's imaginations and are used to develop different skills. Children act out and retell the story to others, build characters from playdoh and count the prickles on the Gruffalo's back.

Children use mathematical language well, for example to describe shapes. Classrooms are bright and stimulating and children develop their early skills well indoors. However, opportunities for children to learn outdoors are less well developed.

This is because activities are not as well planned and equipment is limited. Nevertheless, children achieve well and are ready for Year 1.

Reading is at the centre of learning.

A love of reading is evident across the school. Regular story times transfix pupils. Staff themselves are avid readers.

Titles of class texts and books that teachers read for pleasure are displayed on classroom doors. Phonics is taught systematically. Early sounds are introduced in the Nursery.

Reading books for younger pupils match the sounds they learn during the week. Attractive reading material is available in all classrooms and the library. Parents are encouraged to read with children both in school and at home.

Any pupils who fall behind receive support so that they catch up quickly.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including in the Nursery, get lots of extra help. This helps them achieve well.

However, plans and targets created by leaders for individual pupils are not checked or reviewed regularly. This means targets are not always as helpful as they should be. The new SEND leader is quickly assessing where improvements are needed to improve provision further.

Pupils show high levels of respect for each other and adults, and behave well. They have a developing understanding of world religions and British values. They make good links between subjects – for example, knowing that the Egyptians worshipped many gods just as Hindus do today also that democracy was an important part of Greek civilisation.

Leaders monitor staff workload closely. Planning with other schools in the trust has helped reduce the amount of time teachers spend on compiling topic plans. Staff are positive and feel well supported by leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There are highly organised systems to check that pupils are kept safe. Staff are able to spot concerns and report these quickly to leaders.

This is because they receive regular safeguarding updates and training. Referrals are made to appropriate agencies where necessary. This ensures that pupils and their families get the help they need.

Leaders make sure that they complete all the required checks on staff employed to work in the school. Pupils feel safe and have a secure understanding of how to keep safe. All parents who completed the inspection survey agree their children are safe at school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum is not sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan next year's curriculum and train staff in how to deliver it that they are in the process of bringing this about. .

Reading, mathematics, PE, history and science are all planned and taught well. Other subjects are less well developed. These include art, computing, French and RE.

Consequently, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and skills. Leaders should replicate the successful planning and delivery seen in the stronger subjects to all areas of the curriculum so that pupils achieve in line with the standards expected for their age. .

Additional interventions are provided and specialist support is accessed to support pupils with SEND. However, targets set for individual pupils are not reviewed systematically by leaders. Some targets are carried forward without any monitoring or checking.

Leaders should ensure that plans and targets are monitored carefully and reviewed regularly to ensure that pupils achieve well. Pupils and parents should be part of this process. .

Children in the early years get off to a strong start in all areas of learning, especially their communication and language development and in their personal, social and emotional development. However, children's opportunities to develop skills outdoors are less well developed. Leaders should ensure that there is a good balance of indoor and outdoor learning activities to enhance children's overall development.