Tower Hill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to Tower Hill.

They know their teachers care about them. They benefit greatly from a range of initiatives that help to support their social and emotional needs. This makes them happy and feel safe.

Pupils behave impeccably, both in and out of lessons.

Children in the early years thrive. They build very secure foundations for their future learning.

The school ensures a very strong transition into the Reception Year, which parents and carers value greatly. Children quickly rise to meet the incredibly high expectations that the school has for them. Pupils then make strong progress through much of the school's curriculum as they go thr...ough the school.

Pupils flourish as a result of the school's commitment to supporting their wider personal development. They hone their talents through the extra-curricular offer available to them, which includes a wide variety of clubs and visits. Disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are fully included in school life.

Pupils really understand and believe in the school's values. For example, one Year 6 pupil said, 'If you follow the values you will be a better a person and will become successful in life.'

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

As soon as children start in the Reception Year, they benefit from a well-designed curriculum that engages their interests.

This continues throughout the school. Staff have strong subject knowledge of the topics that they teach. They explain concepts with enthusiasm and clarity.

They usually design learning activities that focus precisely on the knowledge that pupils need to learn. Teachers regularly revisit previous learning so it can embed in pupils' long-term memory. This enables staff to pick up on and address common mistakes that might be lingering, which helps deepen pupils' learning.

The school has rightly prioritised early reading. Staff deliver the phonics curriculum expertly. They use effective strategies, which enable pupils to learn and apply their phonics skills when reading books.

Pupils who struggle a little more with phonics are identified at the earliest opportunity. They receive effective support and catch up quickly. As a result, the vast majority of pupils are reading fluently for their age by the end of key stage 1.

Pupils continue to read and listen to books for pleasure into key stage 2. The books they choose are matched to their current ability due to the direction teachers give them. However, a minority of teaching does not enable pupils to develop their knowledge and skills for fluency or deepen their understanding of what they read.

As a result, a minority of pupils do not progress through the reading curriculum up to Year 6 as well as they could.

In many other subjects, pupils achieve very well. In mathematics, pupils explain the learning that they build day by day confidently.

In physical education, history and art and design, pupils engage effectively in well-considered lessons. The more established the subject curriculum is, the more pupils remember. For example, pupils recall much of what they have learned in history.

This is not quite as strong in some other subjects, where the curriculum has been revised more recently.

A highly inclusive ethos permeates the school. The vast majority of the school's provision for pupils with SEND is very strong.

Staff work with a range of agencies to identify pupils' needs with precision and meet them effectively. When support is not available elsewhere, the school provides the right support and ensures that pupils' complex needs are met.

Pupils' conduct is exceptional.

They focus very well on their work and there is minimal disruption to learning. They develop empathy and show high levels of respect for the lives and beliefs of others. For example, one Year 6 pupil commented, 'I don't have a belief but I support my friends who do.'

As a result, pupils are prepared very well to become responsible members of the community. Pupils' attendance is high. Where individual pupils cause concern, for either behaviour or attendance, the school takes the right decisive, supportive action to work with families to encourage improvements.

Governors have the knowledge and expertise to provide effective support and challenge to the school. They are passionate and ambitious about ensuring that pupils receive the very best education. The school provides well-considered professional development opportunities to develop effective leadership and teaching.

Staff are very proud to work at the school. They appreciate the consideration the school shows for their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A minority of teaching does not enable pupils to develop their reading knowledge and understanding sufficiently well. As a result, pupils do not always develop their reading skills sufficiently well as they get older. The school should ensure that teaching develops all pupils' achievement in reading effectively.

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