Albrighton Primary School & Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Albrighton Primary School & Nursery continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Albrighton is a friendly and welcoming school. Parents and carers value the attention all adults give to children's learning and well-being.

Leaders and teachers make sure that pupils who join during the school year have extra support, so they settle in quickly.

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils and want the best for them. They have designed a curriculum that links subjects together.

As a result, pupils remember their learning over time.

Pupils know that the school motto, 'only our best will do', applies to their work and behaviour. Pupils ...are proud when teachers choose them to be class hero, star reader, star writer or star sportsperson of the week.

Pupils work and play together happily. They show caring attitudes towards each other. Older pupils enjoy helping younger ones.

They act as 'lunchtime buddies' and 'play leaders'. Pupils say that they feel safe and are safe in school because staff care for them. They know how to stay safe, for example when they use the internet, because they learn about it in school.

Pupils behave well. They say that bullying rarely happens. They are confident that adults deal with it quickly and fairly.

Inspection evidence supports pupils' views.

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

Leaders and teachers plan creative and enjoyable activities that link curriculum subjects together. This helps teachers sequence pupils' learning.

As a result, pupils build up their knowledge and skills. For example, Year 3 pupils remembered making 'imaginative' sandwiches when learning about healthy eating. Leaders and teachers plan reading and writing activities that link to other subjects.

The mathematics curriculum is sequenced carefully so pupils develop their mathematical knowledge and understanding. Teachers expect pupils to explain their answers. Pupils do this successfully.

However, sometimes the most able pupils spend too long completing work they can already do rather than moving on to harder problems. Leaders have recognised that teachers do not give pupils enough opportunities to apply their mathematical knowledge in subjects across the curriculum. Leaders have developed a plan to address this.

Pupils achieve well in reading. Children learn phonics from their first days in school. As a result, children quickly learn the sounds they need to read fluently.

All classes have reading lessons every day. This promotes a love of reading. Adults notice when any pupil falls behind and help them to catch up quickly.

Pupils enjoy hearing their teachers read to them. Teachers make sure that pupils read books that match their interests and reading skills. Older pupils talk with enthusiasm about different authors and books they enjoy.

Teachers understand how to adapt their plans for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The extra help from adults ensures that these pupils gain confidence and achieve well.

Children in Reception and the two- and three-year-olds in nursery enjoy school.

This is because adults plan interesting and exciting learning activities. Adults know the children well and help them feel safe. Adults understand how children learn.

They prioritise children's language skills. For example, children in Reception learned the meaning of 'more', 'less' and 'equal' when sharing fruit. Adults know when to direct and when to let children follow their own interests.

Adults help children to become increasingly independent. For example, adults show nursery children how to fasten their overalls before going outside.

Leaders and teachers make sure that pupils have experiences that help them develop their talents and interests.

Pupils enjoy learning in forest school. They enjoy visits to museums and places of interest. They benefit from strong links with RAF Cosford and the village community.

RAF personnel taught pupils survival skills and coding. Year 4 and 6 pupils enjoy residential experiences which develop their independence and group work skills.

Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures.

They know the difference between right and wrong. They raise money for charities. They show positive attitudes to their learning and behave well.

Pupils' mental health, happiness and well-being are very important to all staff. Several pupils told me how adults help them if they feel upset or anxious. Learning mentors provide good support for pupils and their families.

Albrighton is well led. Staff appreciate the efforts leaders make to ensure their workload is manageable. All staff who responded to the staff survey said they were proud to be a member of staff and enjoyed working at Albrighton.

The design and technology curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced. Leaders use good subject knowledge to monitor the curriculum carefully. Senior leaders have begun to provide training for other subject leaders.

This is helping them to develop their leadership skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that there are effective systems in place to safeguard pupils.

Staff are vigilant and understand their safeguarding responsibilities. They have regular training about protecting pupils from harm. Leaders follow up any safeguarding concerns promptly.

Leaders make all the required checks on adults who work with pupils in the school. Pupils say they feel safe. Leaders and teachers ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

Almost all parents who responded to the online survey, Parent View, said that their children feel safe at school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have devised clear curriculum topic plans. These identify the information pupils need to know and remember in each subject.

However, the leadership of subjects other than English and mathematics is at an early stage of development. Some foundation subject leaders have not had the time to develop the skills they need to check that teachers implement the planned curriculum well. Senior leaders need to make sure that foundation subject leaders continue to receive the planned professional development so that they develop their leadership skills and have a positive impact on the quality of education.

. Leaders have made sure that the mathematics curriculum is carefully sequenced. Pupils develop a wide range of mathematical skills.

Teachers expect pupils to explain and justify their answers. This deepens pupils' understanding of mathematics. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to apply what they know to different subjects across the curriculum.

The most able pupils spend too long completing work they can already do rather than move to more challenging problem-solving activities. Leaders need to implement their planned actions to ensure that the mathematics curriculum helps pupils to apply their knowledge and skills, so they remember them well.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we the school to be good on 28–29 June 2016.