Trimley St Mary Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school, with many saying that they 'love it here'.

Pupils particularly enjoy receiving 'Wow' awards and reading challenge certificates for their hard work. They talk excitedly about their 'Wild Wednesday' sessions, which bring classroom learning to life in the outdoor environment.This school is improving rapidly.

This is because the new leadership identified that the previous curriculum did not build well enough on what pupils already know. The resultant improvements to the curriculum have meant that a few subjects are not yet consistently implemented.Pupils behave well in lessons and at social times.

Some pupils act as lunch leaders an...d lead play with the younger children. Staff ensure that any unkind behaviour, such as bullying, is quickly and sensitively resolved. Any incidents of low-level disruption in lessons are well managed.

As a result, pupils are happy and safe in school.Pupils have a range of opportunities to enhance classroom learning, such as visits to the local aerospace centre. Many pupils access clubs such as athletics, choir, swimming and maths.

These experiences help pupils develop their talents and interests. Pupils also take on leadership roles, including house captains, school council and a diversity group.

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

The school has been through a period of significant change.

Decisive action by the new leadership to improve the curriculum is having a positive impact. There is now high ambition for all pupils to achieve the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. However, the school's vision is not yet fully realised.

Where the curriculum is more established, pupils learn well. The clear sequence of learning and well-structured lessons supports pupils in applying previous learning to new concepts. However, where the subject curriculum is newer, implementation is inconsistent.

Lesson activities do not always ensure that pupils practise and consolidate knowledge in enough depth. Therefore, they do not retain the knowledge they have learned consistently enough. Similarly, pupils do not have enough opportunity to apply their learning in more complex ways.

This means that pupils, including some who are disadvantaged, do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects.

In early years, children build strong foundations for later learning. They gain the communication and social skills they need to learn.

Children learn through play in both indoor and outdoor environments. These environments provide activities that engage their curiosity. This combines with more structured learning sessions to help prepare children for their next stage at school.

The school prioritises children learning to read as soon as they join. Well-trained staff teach phonics from the beginning of Reception. Staff ensure that pupils' reading books match the sounds that they are learning.

Staff check closely that pupils have remembered the sounds they learn. Staff quickly identify those pupils who need additional help. These pupils receive this help and develop as more fluent and confident readers.

As a result, most pupils become confident readers.

The school rapidly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff know pupils' needs well and support them in communicating their needs.

However, the inconsistencies in curriculum delivery do not always support these pupils to achieve all of their learning successfully. This means that the achievement of pupils with SEND is still variable.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils rise to these expectations. If pupils demonstrate challenging behaviour, staff take effective action to enable them to re-engage in their learning.

The school ensures that pupils value diversity and different ways of life.

They can articulate this as a result of the school's focus on diversity in the assembly programme and in learning from visitors to school. Pupils embody this understanding through their work as part of the school's diversity group.

Pupil leadership opportunities allow them to develop important life skills and contribute actively to school life.

They elect their representatives for the school council. They are confident to share their views and respect the views of others. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

In this way, they are well prepared to be active citizens.There has been a great deal of change at this school in a short amount of time. Staff have shown a strong commitment to fulfilling the improvements that leaders have initiated.

They enjoy working at this school, feeling very well supported by leaders in managing their workload and well-being.

Governors work closely with the school and provide support and challenge to ensure that standards continue to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, the implementation of the curriculum does not ensure that pupils know and remember key knowledge. The school should ensure that it is clear in all subjects what pupils ought to remember and that there are opportunities for them to practise their learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the training and expertise required to deliver the curriculum effectively in all subjects.

• In some lessons, the curriculum delivery is not always suitably adapted for disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND. This limits the knowledge and skills they acquire. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced so that the learning needs of disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, are fully met.

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