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Pupils are happy to attend this ambitious and happy school. They constantly embody the school's 'golden rules'. This means they consistently show care and respect to each other and to the adults they work with.
Pupils make a highly positive contribution to their community. They appreciate and look after their school environment. When chosen as the daily 'special person', pupils proudly show each other how to behave well.
This has a profoundly positive impact on the conduct of other pupils.
Pupils value the leadership roles they have. As school councillors, 'sad to happy' playground buddies, singing leaders and reading buddies, they take pride in their respons...ibilities.
They harness their talents to contribute to school life. Pupils benefit from an excellent and wide range of opportunities to build character. Pupil passports provide them with trips and activities which progressively build readiness for their next stage.
These include parliament and democracy day, royal ball, Roman day, and well-being activities in Nower Wood.
Pupils consistently meet the high expectations set for them by challenging themselves and persevering. From Reception onwards, pupils grow to become highly motivated, independent, and confident learners.
They value the school's ambitions for what they will achieve, and persistently try their best to achieve them.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has a highly ambitious and well sequenced curriculum. It supports all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve exceptionally well.
The school has mapped out precisely the knowledge that pupils need to learn. This begins in Reception, where children secure important knowledge and are ready for learning in Year 1. The curriculum is meticulously designed so that pupils recall and build on prior learning.
As a result, pupils apply their breadth of knowledge effectively to a wide range of tasks.
Teachers check what pupils know in all areas of the curriculum. They use information from these checks to make well-considered changes to lessons to rapidly fill gaps in knowledge.
All staff have excellent knowledge of how to help pupils with SEND. The support in place in lessons is skilful and extremely impactful. Staff have expert subject knowledge, and teaching is very effective.
Therefore, all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve extremely well.
Staff are expert teachers of phonics. They use checks on pupils' learning to spot when a pupil has fallen behind.
They put in place effective reading activities to close any gaps quickly. Consequently, pupils are learning to read exceptionally well. This is evident in the highly positive published outcomes for phonics in 2024.
From Reception onwards, pupils love to read. They access a diverse and high-quality range of texts which builds their vocabulary.
There is a buzz of activity in Reception.
Children sustain attention on a range of activities and are motivated and enthusiastic learners. Children are encouraged by expert staff to use their imagination in their independent play. The classroom environment has been crafted so that children can be boat makers, pilots, cartographers, and artists.
Staff take every opportunity to develop pupils' communication and language, and physical development.
The behaviour of pupils is exemplary. The playground and lunch hall during social times are joyful places.
Pupils play well together and show kindness to one another. Pupils trust adults will do what is best for them. The relationships between pupils and adults are warm and trusting.
In lessons, pupils' conduct and attitudes to learning are excellent. Learning is rarely disrupted because pupils work hard and focus very well.
The personal development provision for pupils is remarkable.
Through emotional regulation lessons and use of the 'healthy mind platter', pupils learn how to look after their mental well-being. Pupils learn how to recognise their emotions and talk about them. They become aware of their role in society by exploring the impact their behaviour and choices can have on others.
Members of the community from a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds visit the school to talk to pupils. From this, as well as learning about 'powerful voices' in history, pupils develop an appreciation and respect for a wide range of cultural influences.
Parents praise the positive impact the school has had on their children.
As one parent said, 'there is something very special about this school'. A sense of community spirit permeates, where all involved in the school have a common and moral purpose to provide the best provision for pupils. Staff are motivated by the vision set for the school.
They feel valued and heard by school leaders, the local committee and the trust. All layers of leadership work together seamlessly and have pupils at the heart of everything they do.
