Greenleas Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly and welcoming school. Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils try their best to live up to leaders' expectations.

They behave and achieve well.

Children get off to an excellent start to school in the early years where they develop a fascination with learning new things. Children gain new vocabulary and they find out how to communicate effectively with others.

They learn how to play and interact well together. This prepares them well for the rest of their time in school.

All pupils know and follow the sc...hool rules.

They also strive to follow the school motto so that they can 'be nice, work hard and never give up'. Pupils listen carefully to their teachers and try their best in lessons.

Staff greet pupils with a smile every morning.

They know pupils well and develop positive relationships with them. This helps pupils to feel happy, safe and secure. Pupils understand bullying can take different forms.

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying effectively.

Pupils enjoy the activities that are available to them at playtimes and lunchtimes. They play and interact well together.

Pupils relish the opportunity to take on responsibilities, for example acting as mental health ambassadors or being a buddy for children in the early years. Older pupils love attending the book club. They are also very proud of their role in promoting reading across the school.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum which starts in the early years. Links to the local area and a strong focus on reading ensure that pupils' learning is meaningful.

In many subjects, the content that leaders want pupils to know is set out clearly.

Learning builds on what pupils already know. Teachers explain new ideas to pupils clearly in lessons. They use questioning effectively to check understanding and help pupils to deepen their understanding.

Teachers address any misconceptions and gaps in learning quickly. They provide pupils with the guidance that they need to correct and improve their work. Pupils respond well to this support.

They try hard in lessons.

In some subjects, leaders have not set out exactly what pupils need to know and remember at each stage. This means that teachers are not as clear about what to teach or the order in which new content should be learned.

As a result, pupils are sometimes unable to build their understanding on what they already know.

The carefully thought-out curriculum in the early years motivates and excites children. Children listen to guidance and direction from adults and achieve exceptionally well.

Children have excellent attitudes to learning. They show high levels of concentration. They are more than ready to be successful in their future learning.

Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Pupils learn the letters and the sounds that they make quickly so that by the end of key stage 1, most of them can read well. Reading books closely match the sounds that pupils know.

Pupils who are finding reading difficult are identified quickly and receive effective support to catch up.

Leaders promote a love of reading. Pupils are excited about books.

Many spoke enthusiastically about their favourite authors. They love listening to their teachers read stories to them.

Teachers identify pupils with SEND swiftly and accurately.

This helps them to adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils. Pupils with SEND receive effective support so that they make progress against their individual targets. Pupils with SEND play a full and active part in school life.

Pupils have a strong understanding of respect for others and an age-appropriate understanding of diversity. For example, pupils use their knowledge of different faiths and religions to support their understanding and tolerance of others' beliefs. Pupils value the 'person of outstanding character' or 'POOC' recognition that is awarded each term.

They know that to achieve this, they must demonstrate that they are responsible and respectful. This helps them to develop important character traits such as resilience and confidence.

Staff are proud to work at this school.

They know that leaders take account of their workload and look after their well-being.

Governors understand the school's context. They have high expectations for all pupils.

Governors ask challenging questions about the information that they receive from leaders. This enables them to hold leaders to account.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that safeguarding has a high priority. They make sure that all staff receive regular safeguarding training. This helps everyone understand the school's safeguarding systems and procedures.

Staff are vigilant. They know all families, particularly the most vulnerable, well. This enables them to identify any concerns about a pupil's welfare.

Leaders work closely with external partners to get families the help and support that they need.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when working and playing online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge that they want pupils to learn.

This means that teachers are not clear about what to teach or the order in which subject content should be learned. At times, pupils' learning does not build on what they already know. Leaders should make sure that the curriculum sets out the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn so that they know and remember more over time.

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