Kimberworth Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The recently appointed headteacher is working with other leaders to improve this school. They know that the quality of education is not good enough.

Improvements have begun. There is lots still to do so that pupils learn the important things they need to know across the curriculum. Younger pupils make a good start with reading.

Older pupils who find reading tricky do not get the support they need. The same is true for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils say they enjoy school and feel safe.

They are well looked after by adults in school. They behave well and listen to their teachers. Pupils know adults will he...lp them on the rare occasions that bullying happens.

Pupils enjoy the clubs on offer, including the school's breakfast club, choir and sports clubs. They are particularly excited about their upcoming performance in an opera at the Magna science museum.

Leaders encourage parents to be part of pupils' learning.

Parents are invited into school each morning to join their children in activities. Parents and carers can see that the school is beginning to improve. One commented, 'I find staff are really supportive and friendly.'

Both parents and staff are positive about the changes which the new headteacher has introduced.

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

Leaders have not ensured that curriculum plans in all subjects clearly outline what they want pupils to learn. Teachers are not certain about what the most important knowledge is for pupils to remember.

Teachers do not revisit key subject content well enough. This is the case in subjects such as science, physical education (PE) and geography. This means pupils often forget what they have been taught.

Pupils say they like reading and enjoy listening to adults read to them. Leaders have changed the way the youngest pupils learn to read. Leaders have introduced a new phonics scheme.

They check regularly that teaching is helping pupils to be better readers. Leaders have provided training to help adults become effective teachers of early reading. Pupils start to learn to read right from the beginning of Reception class.

In the early years and key stage 1, the books that pupils read match the sounds they are learning. This helps them to become more confident readers. Younger pupils who are struggling to read receive effective support.

This helps them to catch up quickly.

Older pupils who find reading more difficult are not as well supported. This includes some pupils with SEND.

The books they read are not matched to their stage in learning. The strategies adults use to help pupils are not effective enough. Because of this, some older pupils do not become fluent readers.

This limits how well they learn in other subjects.Pupils have gaps in their mathematical knowledge. Some struggle to complete simple calculations in their head.

This makes it hard for them to do more challenging tasks. For example, during the inspection pupils were learning about algebra. They found this difficult because they could not complete simple subtraction mentally.

Pupils needed to use a written method to help them. This slowed them down in tackling the algebra work. Leaders have recently introduced a system that is starting to help pupils to remember important facts in mathematics.

Pupils make a strong start to their education in the day care and Nursery provision for two- and three-year-olds. Staff teach children songs and rhymes and read books with them. Day care and Nursery staff understand each child and help them with their next steps in learning.

However, this is more variable in the Reception Year. Staff do not consistently plan sequences of learning that build on what children can already do.

The special educational needs coordinator ensures that plans for pupils detail their next steps in learning.

Plans also include the support they should receive. However, leaders do not check to make sure that the support is helping pupils to catch up. Some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they should.

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They attend school regularly. Pupils behave calmly and respectfully in lessons and at playtimes.

Older pupils are trained as buddies and help to sort out minor fallouts in the playground. The learning mentor gives helpful support to vulnerable pupils. For example, this has led to improvements in some pupils' behaviour.

Pupils learn about equality. They know that everyone should be treated fairly. They vote for house captains, who represent them in school.

There are opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles, such as representing others on the school council.

Previously, governors have not checked to make sure pupils have achieved as well as they should. New governors have been recruited to strengthen the governing body.

Staff are proud to work in the school. They feel it is improving. The new headteacher is now making sure that subject leaders have the time they need to improve the areas they lead.

Staff feel that leaders are considerate of their workload

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff put the care of pupils as their highest priority. Staff receive regular training and understand their responsibilities.

They are alert to signs that a pupil may not be safe. Leaders follow up concerns rigorously. They work with other agencies to make sure children and families get the support they need.

The personal, social and health education curriculum helps pupils to be aware of risks to their safety. For example, pupils know how to stay safe online. Older pupils can talk about the dangers of accepting gifts from strangers.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Subject leaders have not been given the training or time they need to be effective in their roles. They have had insufficient opportunities to develop curriculum plans in some subjects. The curriculum, including in science, PE and geography, is not clearly sequenced.

Some curriculum plans do not specifically define what pupils should know and remember. Teachers do not focus sufficiently on revisiting important content. As a result, pupils do not remember the most important subject knowledge and do not achieve as well as they should.

The headteacher should continue to work with subject leaders to ensure that they develop the skills that will help them to plan a well-sequenced and coherent curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum plans precisely define the most important things that pupils need to learn. Leaders should check that their work is improving the quality of education across a range of subjects.

. Governors have not checked to make sure pupils achieve as well as they should. Consequently, they have not been in a position to challenge leaders sufficiently well about the decline in the quality of education.

While governors now understand the areas for improvement in the school and have begun to work with leaders to tackle these strategically, almost half of the governors are new to their roles and need further training to help them develop the skills they need to hold leaders to account. Governors should ensure that they have the training they require so that they can challenge leaders to swiftly improve the quality of education for pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. .

Older pupils who find reading difficult are not receiving the right support to help them to catch up. This includes pupils with SEND. Staff in key stage 2 have not had training to teach phonics.

Books are not well-matched to pupils' phonic ability. Because of this, some older pupils do not achieve well in reading. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for reading is planned and implemented effectively in key stage 2 so that all pupils develop fluency and confidence in their reading.

. The curriculum in the Reception Year is not well planned. Staff are not clear about the end points for children, or the smaller steps they need to achieve across the year.

Because of this, some children in the Reception Year are not prepared well enough for the next stage of their education in key areas of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for the Reception Year is reviewed so that staff are clear what children should know and remember. Staff should be given the support they need to plan sequences of learning that help children to achieve as well as they should across all areas of the early years curriculum.