Tower Hill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Tower Hill Primary is an outstanding school. Pupils achieve well because of the extremely high focus on continuous improvement that characterises everything that the school does. Progress throughout the school, including the Early Years Foundation Stage, is outstanding.

Parents and carers think very highly of the school and links with them are outstanding. Outstanding teaching and a good quality curriculum ensure that pupils are keen to learn. Outstanding care, guidance and support ensure that pupils not only feel extremely safe but have an excellent understanding of how to stay fit and healthy.

Pupils' outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exemplified by their outs...tanding behaviour. Safeguarding procedures are outstanding. Excellent partnerships with other schools and agencies provide valuable additional support for those pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

Good strategies for promoting community cohesion also ensure that pupils make a strong contribution to the school and the local community. Attainment is improving rapidly throughout the school. By Year 6, attainment has risen to average and is continuing to rise as pupils build upon the much-improved attainment in Years 1 and 2.

The low starting points of the well above average proportion of pupils who join the school other than at the normal time holds down overall attainment at Year 6. Nevertheless, these pupils often make accelerated progress during their time in the school. The attainment of those who have been at the school continuously from Year 2 to Year 6 is above average, particularly in mathematics.

The school has correctly identified that, to raise attainment further, more pupils need to attain above average results, especially in writing, and this is a main focus of this year. Key to this school's success is the work of the outstanding leaders and managers at all levels, including members of the governing body. All staff are closely involved in setting challenging but realistic targets for further improvement.

Members of the governing body are very well involved in supporting and challenging the school. Budget management is excellent. A relentless pursuit of excellence over the last four years has led to exceptional improvement in the school.

The clear commitment to ensure that pupils should be the very best they can possibly be is seen in all areas of school life. The school has a very accurate view of its strengths and areas for improvement, and uses this information extremely well in the high quality school development and improvement plan. The progress of pupils has improved significantly since the previous inspection and challenging targets set for pupils' performance are often exceeded.

These factors indicate an outstanding capacity for sustained improvement.

Information about the school

Tower Hill Primary is just slightly smaller than most schools. It serves mainly the residential area around the school.

The majority of pupils are White British but around one in five pupils comes from other ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is average but almost none is at an early stage of English language acquisition. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above average, although the proportion with a statement of special educational needs is average.

The main needs are speech, language and communication difficulties but also include pupils who have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average. Many more pupils than usual move out of or into the school other than at the normal times.

The school has recent awards of enhanced Healthy School status and the sport Activemark. It has also been awarded Beacon status for its singing. A breakfast club is run by the school.

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