Thongsley Fields Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe. Pupils value the warm and respectful relationships they have with other pupils and staff. Pupils say that bullying is rare.

When it does happen, they are confident that adults will sort things out. Pupils are well supported by adults who know them well and are very aware of their individual needs.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school.

They understand the school rules of 'being ready, respectful and safe'. Most pupils follow these rules well. They rise to adults' high expectations of behaviour.

Pupils enjoy a variety of clubs, including for sports, music and art. They have opportunities to contribute to s...chool life, for example as members of the school and eco councils and as reading ambassadors. During the inspection, pupils in the choir visited the O2 arena to sing with others from across the country.

Pupils enjoy their learning. However, they have gaps in their knowledge and understanding in reading and mathematics. Pupils do not yet learn and achieve as well as they should.

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

Leaders have brought about significant improvements since the school opened. They have introduced a well-planned curriculum across all year groups. This plans pupils' learning from the early years up to Year 6.

Leaders have made the teaching of reading a priority. Phonics is taught as soon as pupils start in Reception. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning.

Those who fall behind are identified quickly and receive extra help. However, some adults do not use the school's chosen phonics programme as well as they should. This means that not all pupils learn letter sounds well.

Leaders have raised the profile of reading across the school. Pupils enjoy a well-stocked and diverse library. There are also inviting reading areas in all classrooms.

Many pupils enjoy reading and talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors and the texts they read in class. Where some older pupils need additional reading support, the new reading curriculum is helping them to catch up. However, these pupils still have gaps in their knowledge that impact their ability to read fluently and with understanding.

Pupils' learning in mathematics is improving. However, some older pupils still lack basic skills and understanding. This is due to inconsistencies in the curriculum and quality of teaching historically.

This prevents these pupils from accessing the full mathematics curriculum.

Pupils enjoy their learning across the curriculum subjects. However, leaders have not established a system to check on what pupils know and can do in these subjects.

Some subject leaders are new to their roles. They are beginning to check their subject areas. However, they do not yet have the knowledge and expertise needed to do this consistently well.

Children make a good start to their education in the Nursery and Reception classes. This is because the curriculum in the early years is well planned and sequenced. Early years staff deliver the school's chosen phonics programme effectively.

Children learn to take turns, share, concentrate and make sensible choices in their learning and play. The early years classes provide happy, purposeful and well-organised environments in which to learn.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified early and are supported appropriately.

Pupils are included in lessons. Teachers adapt the planned curriculum where necessary. Skilled adults provide extra support for those pupils who need this.

The school has a coherently planned personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. This ensures that pupils learn about a range of topics in an age-appropriate way. For example, pupils learn about different kinds of families and how others may be different from them.

This helps them to value the differences between others and become respectful members of the school community. The curriculum, through opportunities such as outdoor learning, helps pupils to develop an understanding of the importance of perseverance and resilience.

New teachers are grateful for the support that they receive.

Other staff also feel well supported. All appreciate that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

Senior leaders have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the school's provision.

Trust leaders and governors carry out their statutory duties effectively. They have an accurate view of what the school does well and where it needs to further improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders ensure that all staff have regular and relevant training. This ensures that they know how to spot when a pupil is at risk of harm and how to report this.

Staff know the different risks to pupils, including local issues. They ensure that pupils learn how to keep safe in the community and online. Pupils know that there is always an adult they can talk to if they have any worries.

Safeguarding records are detailed. They show that responses to concerns are timely and appropriate. Leaders are proactive and quick to seek external professional advice to keep pupils safe.

They ensure that all relevant checks are made on new staff.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff do not deliver the school's chosen phonics programme as well as they should. For some older pupils, there are gaps in their reading that are not being addressed quickly enough.

This means that some pupils cannot read as fluently as they should. Leaders should ensure that all staff who teach phonics do so consistently well with secure expertise so that all pupils make the strongest start in learning to read. They should also ensure that older pupils are well supported to catch up.

• Teachers are not always identifying and supporting effectively those pupils who do not have all the basic mathematical knowledge and understanding they need to be successful. Leaders should support teachers to identify when pupils need extra help and how to adapt their teaching so pupils can access the full mathematics curriculum, including opportunities for problem-solving and reasoning. ? In some subjects, assessment and subject leadership are not fully developed.

This means that leaders do not know enough about what pupils know and can do. Leaders should continue their work to strengthen assessment and subject leadership, including monitoring. This is so that leaders have an accurate picture of what pupils know and can do in those subject areas.