The Pines School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

An atmosphere of partnership and purpose can be felt throughout this school. There is a shared high ambition to ensure every pupil is an eager learner who achieves well.

Staff prioritise developing caring relationships will pupils, providing thoughtful nurture and care. Classrooms and communal areas are therefore kind and calm places. Pupils feel safe and say that bullying is rare.

Children of all ages are proud of their good behaviour. One pupil said, 'I love it here and never want to leave.'

Older pupils develop a strong sense of responsibility and care.

They willingly provide support for younger ones to help them with their reading. Pupils also v...alue the opportunities provided to be a librarian or to contribute their ideas to the school council.

From the moment they start school, children in Nursery and Reception get off to a flying start.

They settle quickly into the life of the school, forming positive relationships with one another and staff. Teachers quickly get to know the children well to make sure that learning is suited to each child. Children take great interest in their learning and consequently quickly develop the knowledge they need to read and write confidently.

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

Since joining in September 2019, leaders have made significant changes to the school. Parents and staff value both these improvements as well as leaders' compassion, kindness and dedication to support all pupils in achieving well. Leaders know that previous changes in leadership had been unsettling and that the curriculum and learning needed to be more ambitious.

This work has begun in earnest and despite the disruption cause by COVID-19, the impact can be seen across the school's curriculum and provision. Recent improvements are also evident in the swift and decisive action leaders took in response to last year's low key stage 2 outcomes. This work reflects leaders' ambition to ensure all pupils achieve well.

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum that helps pupils make links across different subjects. Pupils are eager to discuss and explore their new knowledge and to look for opportunities to apply this to new topics. In subjects where the curriculum is more developed, such as mathematics, pupils can confidently recall their learning and make links with other subjects.

However, in some of the foundation subjects, leaders have not precisely identified exactly what knowledge pupils need to learn and in what order. Consequently, pupils have some gaps in their knowledge so they do not learn as much as they could. In addition, in these subjects, teachers do not regularly check what knowledge pupils know and remember.

This results in some pupils having a weaker understanding.

Reading is a strength throughout the school. The youngest children learn the first steps of reading when they are in Nursery.

Teachers in early years skilfully include letters and numbers in the wide variety of activities available for children in Reception. A carefully sequenced phonics programme is delivered to all pupils to help them build their reading fluency and confidence. Leaders ensure that all teachers and teaching assistants are well trained and that any pupils who find reading more difficult do not fall too far behind their classmates.

Leaders diligently provide high-quality support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils attending the 'Orchard' and the 'Grove', the school's two specially resourced provisions, enjoy learning a rich curriculum. They receive the bespoke support they need to meet their needs from well-trained staff.

They benefit from learning both in the specially resourced provision as well as with their friends in their year group classes. This support is carefully considered and well planned to help all pupils with SEND achieve well.

Teachers make sure that all pupils understand why good behaviour is important, resulting in a calm atmosphere throughout the school.

Pupils state bullying is rare as the adults quickly resolve pupils' worries. In lessons, pupils are attentive and considerate of each other. Leaders know that some pupils do not attend school as well as they should.

Clear plans to improve attendance provide effective support for pupils and their families. This work is ongoing but is showing positive impact.

Pupils talk with pride about the clubs they attend and the responsibilities they take on.

The school organises a variety of sporting and other activities after school. Pupils value the school council and they appreciate the democratic election of its members. A wide range of assemblies, visitors and lessons help pupils make sense of the world.

Pupils value diversity and talk with pride about equality.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is a central focus for all staff.

Leaders have made sure that adults are vigilant and know how to record and report if they are worried about a pupil. Records are used to identify patterns and where pupils may be at risk from harm. Leaders review the school's safeguarding processes regularly and seek professional advice routinely.

Staff training includes governors, who understand their safeguarding responsibility clearly.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in school and beyond, including when online. Leaders also provide helpful guidance to parents to help them develop their knowledge of online safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, leaders have not identified with enough precision what teachers need to teach and when they need to teach it. Pupils therefore do not always build knowledge consistently well across all subjects and can find it difficult to recall prior learning securely. Leaders must strengthen and refine the curriculum further so that all pupils achieve well across the whole curriculum.

• Assessment in the foundation subjects is not used consistently well. As a result, teachers and subject leaders do not know how secure pupils' learning is or what they can remember. Leaders need to establish a clear approach to checking and closing gaps in learning so that pupils can use apply their developing subject knowledge and skills.

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