Abram Bryn Gates Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in this school enjoy learning because teachers make sure that lessons are varied and interesting, with many practical activities.

Pupils are seldom absent from school. Those who talked to us and/or responded to Ofsted's survey for pupils said that there is no bullying and were confident that, if it did happen, staff would stop it. In lessons and at social times, pupils are friendly, courteous and polite.

They follow instructions immediately because teachers insist that everyone works hard and behaves well.

Pupils told us that they feel safe from harm in school and that they have learned how to keep themselves safe, including on the internet and on road...s. They take part in a wide range of activities outside lessons and understand the importance of looking after our planet by doing things such as recycling.

In Reception, children progress very well and are ready for a good start to Year 1. However, for the past three years, pupils have not achieved as much as they should in reading and mathematics by the end of Year 2 or Year 6. Since September, leaders' expectations have risen and pupils have been doing better in these subjects.

However, they have not had time to catch up to where they should be.

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

As soon as the very experienced executive headteacher took up post in September, she made important changes which have improved the school significantly. She has done this while managing a difficult financial situation and improving staff morale.

Staff are enthusiastic about the changes and are keen to give the executive headteacher their full support.

The executive headteacher, ably supported by the long-standing deputy headteacher and a highly effective governing body, is well on the way to transforming how and what pupils learn in all subjects. She has made teachers more ambitious about what pupils should achieve.

For the past three years, by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils have not achieved well in reading and mathematics. However, current pupils' progress in reading and mathematics has improved considerably. Nevertheless, in the seven months since the executive headteacher's arrival, there has not been time to make up for all of the gaps in pupils' learning.

When making changes to programmes of learning, leaders prioritised which subjects to change first so that teachers had time to implement the new plans well. As a result, in some subjects, such as history and geography, the new plans for learning are recent and will take time to have an impact. The schemes which the school has adopted are thorough.

They make sure that pupils learn things in a logical order, but there has not been enough time since September to adapt them for the particular needs of pupils in this school. The plan for learning in Reception is organised and ambitious. Children progress well in reading, writing and mathematics and across all the other areas of learning.

Staff have had training on how to develop pupils' memory. In some subjects, such as geography, older pupils can remember key things that they learned as far back as Year 1 and how they relate to the work they are doing now. However, in some subjects there are considerable lapses in pupils' memory of previous work.

Staff told us about how leaders have now prioritised much-needed training and better resourcing for every subject. Each subject now has an effective leader. Teachers plan lessons which use a range of appropriate resources and activities to enable pupils to experience the whole of the national curriculum.

The school's plan for teaching pupils to read in Reception and Year 1 is ambitious. Effective training for staff has made sure that the teaching of phonics and early reading works well. Pupils start Year 2 with strong reading skills.

Teachers and support staff manage pupils' behaviour well. The small minority of pupils who have difficulty meeting the school's expectations of behaviour are well supported by skilful teaching assistants and behave well in lessons and at social times.

Leaders have made sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum as their peers.

Teachers and teaching assistants adapt resources and activities so that SEND pupils make as much progress as their classmates. The school's plan for disadvantaged pupils makes sure that the barriers they face do not affect their ability to learn.

From the moment children join the school in Reception, skilful staff make them feel comfortable and safe.

They enjoy learning, following instructions and taking turns. Teaching across the school addresses the wider aspects of pupils' development, such as how to stay physically and emotionally healthy. Staff encourage pupils to respect those who are different from themselves and to appreciate their own culture as well as that of others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders have put in place very effective policies and procedures to make sure that pupils and staff are safe. Everyone involved with the school understands that safeguarding is the responsibility of all.

Governors make sure that the school meets the latest requirements. They ensure that all those working in the school have undergone checks on their suitability to work with children. Staff have been trained in how to spot if a pupil is having problems.

Leaders keep careful records of actions and involve specialist support if needed. Staff and visitors teach pupils how to keep themselves safe, including on the internet. Staff contact the parents or carers of pupils who are absent to make sure that they are safe from harm.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

For the past three years, pupils have not achieved as well as they should in reading and mathematics in either key stage 1 or key stage 2. As a result, too few pupils have been ready to make a good start to Year 3 or secondary school. Since the executive headteacher took up post, transformational changes to teaching and the curriculum have begun to have a positive impact and pupils' current work shows considerable improvement.

However, because these changes are recent, their impact is not fully evident in pupils' reading and mathematics from Year 1 to Year 6. Leaders should ensure that they sustain and extend improvements to the curriculum and how it is taught so that more pupils reach their full potential in reading and mathematics. .

The new programmes of learning for science and the foundation subjects are well organised using commercial schemes. They have clear end points for each year and are related to the programmes of study of the national curriculum. However, they do not take into account the local area or the life experiences of the school's pupils.

In addition, subjects are at various stages of development. Some changes were implemented earlier this year, but some have yet to be put in place. This means that pupils' learning in foundation subjects is inconsistent.

Leaders should ensure that the new curriculum is put in place for all subjects. The school should make sure that the curriculum takes into account opportunities for learning in the local area and gaps in pupils' skills and life experiences. .

In some subjects, pupils remember well what they have learned recently and further down the school. Some teaching regularly builds in opportunities to revisit previously learned work. However, this is not routinely the case in all subjects and classes.

In some classes, pupils have less knowledge to build on in the future. The school has begun work on providing regular opportunities for pupils to recap skills, knowledge and understanding. Leaders should ensure that teaching routinely enables pupils to commit their learning to long-term memory.