Harrison Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get an excellent start to school life.

The school's ethos, underpinned by the 'Harrison Learning Tree', is one which supports all pupils to achieve their best both academically and pastorally. Pupils also play their part in ensuring a happy and safe school. One pupil summed their school up beautifully by saying: 'We're all separate musical notes.

Together, we make a harmony.'

Pupils' learning starts strongly in the Reception Year. This high-quality provision continues throughout the school.

The school focuses on the individual needs of its pupils. Staff know the pupils very well and give them the precise support they need to flourish. This is... especially true for disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils have very positive attitudes towards their learning. They listen to their teachers extremely attentively and aim to put their learning into action in all subjects. The effort that pupils show is remarkable.

Throughout each day, well-mannered pupils demonstrate high levels of self-control. Over time, pupils build a very strong understanding about respecting others. Older pupils discuss elements of growing up with maturity as they prepare for secondary school.

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

The school is highly ambitious and provides a very high-quality education for pupils. Staff ensure that the whole curriculum is engaging and effective. This means that by the time they leave the school, pupils have learned very well across the full range of subjects.

Staff make sure that all pupils learn to read well and develop a love for reading. Well-trained staff teach phonics lessons expertly. This gives pupils an excellent start when learning to read.

On the very rare occasion that pupils struggle to learn early sounds, staff swiftly provide the additional support they need in order to catch up. Pupils continue to enjoy reading a wide variety of texts long after they have learned phonics. As they grow older, pupils continue to develop their reading skills.

They develop strong comprehension skills through accessing and analysing well-chosen, quality texts.

Knowledgeable staff craft the curriculum carefully in all subjects. Pupils learn key knowledge, skills and vocabulary that give them an excellent foundation in every subject.

This starts promptly in early years, when staff get to know the children very well. Staff ensure children adopt the school's routines quickly. Throughout the school, staff meticulously check how well pupils learn, including pupils with SEND.

They use this information to adapt lessons to make sure that pupils learn effectively. Pupils' achievement in mathematics is very strong. In other subjects, such as music, physical education (PE) and computing, the school has devised curriculums that pupils love to learn.

Pupils show this through their strong engagement in lessons and their pride in the excellent work that they produce.Pupils' behaviour is excellent. They conduct themselves very well in school.

Classrooms are calm and corridors are orderly. The school has developed what pupils can do at playtimes and lunchtimes exceptionally well. This attention to detail means pupils have pleasant, productive playtimes because staff have thought through the use of social spaces and equipment carefully.

Older pupils are excellent role models for younger pupils. They demonstrate the school's values of collaboration, honesty, equality, respect and responsibility with natural ease. The school is fully inclusive, and pupils make everyone feel welcome at the school.

Pupils have a very strong understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics. On the rare occasions pupils fall out with one another, there is a genuine maturity from pupils around trying to resolve issues amicably.

At all levels of the school, leadership is very strong.

All staff want to achieve their very best for the pupils. The governors share this ambition and work diligently to fulfil it. Staff receive a very strong offer to develop their careers, both individually and collectively.

This helps to drive everyone forward and raise achievement for the pupils even further. Parents recognise how the dedicated staff ensure all pupils achieve highly. For example, one parent, who reflected the feelings of so many parents, commented: 'I have been so impressed by my child's educational journey at Harrison.

My child is thriving at school and that is down to the ethos, care and commitment of the staff team. I couldn't be happier as a parent and would recommend Harrison to everyone.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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