Harris Primary Academy Benson

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have a clear vision for the education of pupils at Harris Primary Academy Benson. This is underpinned by their 'three golden rules' of: show respect, take responsibility and always make the right choice. All members of the school community live and learn by these rules.

Leaders have high academic ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have designed a deep and broad curriculum to deliver this ambition. Staff successfully implement the curriculum.

Pupils excel in their learning. Parents and carers work as a team with staff to support the academic and personal development of pupils at the schoo...l.

Staff, pupils and parents are rightly proud of pupils' behaviour at this school.

They were all keen to say that it is exemplary. Leaders have created a calm, kind and purposeful learning environment. This supports pupils in thriving academically.

Leaders have also prioritised organising for all pupils to have responsibilities during their time at school. The experiences provided are varied, from play facilitators to reading buddies. These responsibilities are part of leaders' considerable work to develop the pupils' character.

Pupils love coming to school. Leaders, teachers and staff all work together to ensure that pupils are kept safe.

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

Leaders have ensured that there is a highly ambitious curriculum for all subjects, including early reading.

Leaders ensure that, through appropriate training, all staff are able to deliver this curriculum consistently well. Curriculum thinking ensures that pupils encounter a deep and broad body of knowledge. Teachers use well-planned strategies to enable pupils to expertly learn and remember this knowledge.

For many subjects, the curriculum exceeds the expectations of the national curriculum.

The depth and breadth of knowledge that pupils learn and remember are particularly impressive. This is true across all subjects.

For example, in history, pupils' awareness of chronology is developed step by step, starting in Reception, where children begin by learning about themselves and the changes in their lives over time. Pupils are also taught to think like historians. In Year 3, for example, they work with simple sources and artifacts.

As they progress through the school, they compare different sources and evaluate the relative merits of them with increasing sophistication.

Assessments are used to identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge and to reinforce pupils' recall of key facts. Leaders and teachers also use assessment information to further improve the curriculum.

Pupils' work shows that their knowledge is developing very well.

Reading is at the heart of all that takes place in the school. Children begin learning phonics from their first day in Reception.

Regular assessments are used to ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to build up and deepen their phonic knowledge successfully. These assessments also allow appropriate extra help to be designed and put in place when pupils need it. Teachers receive regular training, and they deliver the phonics programme with fidelity.

All pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, are equally well supported in being successful in learning to read. This is well demonstrated by pupils' strong outcomes in the phonics screening check.

Teachers instil a love of reading in pupils.

Pupils talk with enthusiasm about reading being a pleasure. Leaders have created opportunities around the school for pupils to read and pupils make use of them often.

Leaders make sure that pupils with SEND are supported through the provision of the right support at the right time.

They identify these pupils' needs early. Leaders want all pupils to access the full curriculum and lead rich and fulfilling lives. Pupils with SEND flourish in this inclusive school atmosphere.

Behaviour is excellent. Pupils understand the expectations and follow them. They are respectful and encouraging towards each other.

This supports pupils to learn in an environment which is calm and orderly. Pupils know how to manage their own behaviour. For example, they share, take turns and interact with each other in a kind and sensible manner, inside and outside of the classroom.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that has pupils' personal development running as a thread throughout it. Plentiful rich experiences are on offer as part of leaders' aim to develop pupils' cultural capital and understanding of the wider world. Leaders also help pupils to develop a sense of community responsibility.

One example of this is through the work that all pupils complete with a local home for older people. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme is carefully designed to ensure that pupils receive age-appropriate information about healthy friendships and relationships.

All staff at the school take part in a rigorous programme of professional development.

Staff appreciate all that leaders do to support their well-being.

Governors and members of the trust work closely with the leadership team to help the school to be successful.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders take a rigorous approach to safeguarding. All staff receive regular training to ensure that they know how to identify any potential concerns and that they are then able to report them correctly. Leaders understand the local context of the school and they work with the local authority and other agencies to safeguard pupils.

Pupils receive a well-planned PSHE programme. This helps them to learn about keeping themselves safe, including when they are online. All pupils know that there is a trusted adult at school who they can speak to.

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