Travis St Lawrence Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of 'Team Travis' and talk enthusiastically about this welcoming school.

They enjoy the different roles and responsibilities they are given, including having a say in the 'Pupils' Parliament', or being a playground leader. Pupils speak with pride about the impact that these roles can have, such as being a recycling monitor, to 'help their school and the environment'.

The school is full of busy working chatter.

Pupils are polite and considerate of others. All staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils rise to these ambitions.

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and respectful. Pupils feel saf...e and say that if bullying or falling out with friends were to happen, staff would quickly help them to sort it out.

Parents and carers are positive about the work of the school.

They appreciate the kind and caring ethos in which their children learn. Leaders have fostered a strong sense of community, where stakeholders feel part of a school family.

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

Leaders give a high priority to reading in school.

Pupils get off to a good start with learning to read. The teaching of phonics is clear and consistently effective. Staff's expectations of pupils are high.

Teachers keep a sharp focus on checking what pupils know and can do. Skilled staff act quickly to provide support to anyone who is falling behind with their phonic knowledge. Pupils enjoy reading a range of books and talk with enthusiasm about daily shared stories.

Leaders and staff know their pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their individual targets well. Support plans are shared with all staff and parents. Pupils get the help they need to make strong progress.

Parents appreciate the personalised support the school offers.

In many subjects, such as reading, mathematics and science, there is a carefully planned and well-taught curriculum in place. This ensures that pupils know more and remember more of the curriculum.

In these subjects, pupils can explain their learning and use complex vocabulary to show their understanding. Teachers make regular checks on what pupils have learned. Adults use this information to provide extra help to pupils who need it.

However, in a few subjects, leaders have not fully identified the key knowledge and content that they want pupils to learn. In these subjects, some pupils do not have the prior knowledge they need to access new subject content. Teachers' assessments in a few subjects do not give them the precise information they need to plan the best next steps for pupils.

Leaders are working on these issues and have plans in place to address them.

In early years, relationships are positive between children and adults. Children are confident in the daily routines and the expectations of the classroom.

Staff work hard to improve children's language skills in their ongoing discussions, including for those children with SEND. Leaders have thought about how the curriculum prepares the children for the move to Year 1, including the vocabulary they need to know. In most areas of learning, the curriculum is clear and well sequenced and children achieve well.

However, in some areas of learning, the curriculum is still being developed to ensure that staff are clear about what children should learn and when.

The personal development of pupils is central to the school's curriculum. Pupils enjoy learning to play a musical instrument and take part in trips and clubs.

They are able to develop new interests. Pupils are given opportunities to discuss and develop an age-appropriate understanding of values such as respect and tolerance. They also get to see these values in action, for example in voting for house captains or debating issues around equality.

Staff appreciate the professional support and consideration for their well-being from leaders, including governors. Staff feel valued and listened to. This has resulted in a strong sense of teamwork, and staff work towards commonly shared goals.

Governors make a positive contribution. They know the school well and offer effective challenge and support for leaders to ensure that the school continues to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff are well trained. They are alert to the potential signs that a pupil may be at risk.

Staff understand and follow the school's safeguarding procedures. Staff report concerns promptly. Leaders take the action required to ensure that pupils and families are provided with the support that they need.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations through the computing curriculum, assemblies and personal, social and health education sessions. Pupils know what to do if they have any worries or concerns.

Governors make regular checks to assure themselves that school leaders are fulfilling their safeguarding responsibilities.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not identified the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn precisely enough in some subjects, such as geography and in some areas of learning in early years. As a result, staff are not consistently clear about the content that they are required to teach. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for all subjects clearly sets out the knowledge that all pupils should learn and by when.

It is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of making these changes. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. ? The effectiveness of teachers' assessment is variable in some subjects.

Checks made on pupils' learning do not give teachers the precise information they need to plan for pupils' next steps in learning. Teachers have an inconsistent picture of what pupils know and remember over time in these subjects. Leaders should develop assessment so that teachers have a clear knowledge of what pupils already know and can ensure that the teaching of new subject content builds on this.