Upperby Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in school and feel safe. They are polite, courteous and friendly.

Staff deal with any cases of bullying effectively. Pupils know right from wrong. Most are respectful and tolerant of those who may be different from themselves.

Pupils enjoy taking part in cultural and adventurous activities in the local area and further afield. They look forward to visits to outdoor education centres and cities, such as Edinburgh, where they can stay overnight. These build character and support pupils in learning about life in wider British society.

Pupils look after one another. Older pupils take responsibility for younger pupils through being playground budd...ies. Pupils have an active school council.

All pupils are able to participate in this through an electronic voting system. This helps them learn about democracy and citizenship.

Parents and carers of children in the early years typically commented on how well children settle into school.

They said that staff are very caring and approachable.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Lessons are rarely disrupted.

This is because most pupils are keen to learn.

Pupils know that teachers expect them to try hard and do their very best work. Leaders make sure that pupils who sometimes find learning difficult, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive effective support.

Most pupils, as well as children in the early years, achieve well.

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

The school has improved considerably since the last inspection. Leaders have revised the curriculum, ensuring that it is organised in a logical way.

Leaders and teachers are ambitious for all pupils. As a result of a well-designed and well-taught curriculum, pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are developing an increasingly secure body of subject knowledge.

Children in the early years also have a well-structured curriculum.

For example, it builds on their knowledge of the world around them to prepare them well for key stage 1 geography, history and science. Teachers provide opportunities for children to learn to count and to compare numbers and sizes. This means that most children are ready to study the mathematics curriculum in key stage 1.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They are also skilled in providing support to meet the needs of all learners, including those with SEND. They make good use of the range of training opportunities available to improve their teaching of the curriculum.

Teachers use assessment strategies effectively to check that pupils know and remember more.

Despite the strengths in the curriculum, in a few subjects older pupils in key stage 2 have some gaps in their knowledge. For example, in geography, pupils struggled to learn to use six-figure grid references because they did not have enough prior knowledge of maps.

This is because leaders' improvements to the curriculum are relatively recent. Older pupils have not benefited from them in previous year groups.

Adults join in well with children's imaginative play in the early years.

Occasionally, they miss out on opportunities to encourage children to extend the range of words that they know and understand.

Leaders have prioritised reading throughout the school. Staff teach the phonics curriculum consistently well from the beginning of the Reception Year.

Skilled staff help pupils to practise their reading, from books that they carefully select to match pupils' phonics knowledge. Teachers read to pupils frequently, sharing their own enthusiasms for books and authors. They encourage pupils to read for pleasure at home as well as in school.

Most pupils enjoy reading from a range of texts. Most of them become fluent and accurate readers as they move up the school.

Leaders and teachers identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately and at the earliest possible stage.

They enable these pupils to study the same curriculum as their peers. This means that pupils, including those with SEND, succeed, and most are ready for the next stage in their education.

Pupils usually behave well.

They rarely disturb the learning of others. Most pupils attend regularly and on time. Classrooms are calm and well organised.

Leaders have provided opportunities for pupils to develop their skills and knowledge beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils participate in events and competitions, such as the city music festival. Leaders held a 'careers fair', where representatives from a wide range of trades and professions visited the school to talk to pupils about their work.

A recent sports week enabled pupils to try out a range of different sports, including archery, gymnastics and fencing. These opportunities help pupils to learn about the wider world and prepare them well for the future.

Governors know the school well and fulfil all their statutory responsibilities.

They talk to pupils about their learning and meet with subject leaders to find out about improvements to the curriculum. Governors and leaders consider staff's workload and work-life balance when making decisions. Staff feel valued by leaders and governors.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors ensure that all staff know how to keep pupils safe. Staff and governors receive regular and up-to-date training, including in child protection and first aid.

This helps them to know when a pupil may be at risk of harm. Leaders respond to any concerns and make sure that pupils and families receive effective support.

The curriculum helps pupils learn about how to manage risks and keep themselves safe outside of school.

For example, they learn about how to be safe online. Pupils said they know that they are safe because the school grounds and buildings are secure and staff are always watching out for them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Historic weaknesses in the curriculum for some foundation subjects mean that older pupils in key stage 2 have gaps in their knowledge and understanding.

Leaders should ensure that the revised curriculum is fully implemented in all year groups so that pupils systematically learn the specific knowledge and skills they need in all subjects. ? Staff in the early years do not take up enough opportunities to develop children's communication and language skills when they are learning through play in the continuous provision. Leaders should ensure that all staff are skilled in recognising opportunities to intervene in children's play activities and able to support them in broadening their vocabulary and extending their thinking.