Montem Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils and their families feel fully included and part of the school's community. Pupils thrive here academically and socially.

Parents and carers appreciate receiving regular communication about their children's learning from school leaders. One parent said, 'We are updated all the time.'

Pupils are happy and enjoy learning.

They are safe. Staff and pupils appreciate leaders' clear expectations for pupils' behaviour, which enable teachers and pupils to focus on learning. Staff deal with and resolve any bullying.

Pupils are encouraged to think about their future next steps and careers through visits to universities. Leaders intro...duce pupils to fundamental British values, including through outings to the Royal Courts of Justice. Teachers raise pupils' awareness of mental well-being, dental hygiene and physical health.

For example, staff motivate pupils to run a 'daily mile' in the playground and teachers reward them for doing so.

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

Leaders have designed a broad curriculum that meets pupils' needs. Leaders are in the process of further refining this curriculum across some subjects.

They have thought carefully about the key content of each subject's curriculum. Subject leaders' curriculum thinking is typically strong. They know what they want pupils to learn and when.

They have also considered what children learn in early years within their curriculum thinking. Where pupils are in mixed year-group classes, leaders ensure that all pupils complete the planned curriculum in its entirety by the end of Year 6.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge.

Most teaching ensures that pupils learn the curriculum steadily over time. However, sometimes teaching across all age ranges does not effectively check that pupils know and understand what they have learned. This means that opportunities to address pupils' misunderstandings are missed and pupils do not learn all that they could.

Leaders have made reading a priority. This is reflected in the increased proportion of pupils passing the phonics screening check in Years 1 and 2. Pupils learn systematically how to read from the beginning of Reception.

Leaders also ensure that pupils who require help with reading receive it so that they can catch up quickly with their peers. Teachers provide pupils with a diverse selection of books from the school library that match their current reading level, which they can take home and read. Teachers also support pupils to develop their reading fluency and comprehension.

In the early years, leaders ensure that children have regular opportunities for play and story time, and to develop their early language and mathematics skills. For example, children showed that they were expanding their knowledge of animals as they identified sharks among the toy fish that they played with. They also showed an understanding of different quantities as they created a 'plate full of green peas'.

Pupils behave sensibly in class and around the school. They are confident and enjoy learning. In early years, leaders ensure that children, including two-year-old children, get used to clear routines.

For example, children have story time at the same time each day. Teaching staff are calm and patient, and they encourage all pupils to be kind to each other. If pupils make unkind remarks to their peers, staff follow up immediately and ensure that any issues are resolved.

Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the rewards they receive for good behaviour and attendance. Leaders have taken very effective action to improve pupils' attendance.

Leaders responsible for supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are experienced and knowledgeable.

They work closely with parents and external agencies to provide all the support that they can for pupils. However, sometimes, the teaching and resources are not sufficiently adapted so that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their classmates.

Leaders organise a range of extra-curricular activities for pupils, including football, basketball and ballet club.

Pupils can also participate in activities designed to deepen their interests in curriculum subjects, such as cookery and coding. Through personal development classes, pupils are taught about topics including respecting different cultures and environmental sustainability. For example, pupils learn about the local environment in Year 1 and the harmful impact of litter in Year 3.

In Year 4, they consider the impact of human activity on biodiversity.

Leaders prioritise professional development for staff. Staff said how much they appreciate this and that leaders consider their well-being and workload.

All this is overseen carefully by those responsible for governance. The governing body challenges and supports leaders. Members of the governing body regularly consult the views of pupils and parents to ensure that leaders' actions are having the necessary impact.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff feel a collective sense of responsibility for safeguarding. This is because leaders provide regular training for staff and ensure that they have an up-to-date understanding of signs that pupils may be at risk of harm.

Staff identify and report to school leaders any concerns that they may have about pupils' safety. Leaders ensure that pupils receive any help that they may need. This includes close working with external partners such as the local authority.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online and outside of school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is variability in the delivery of aspects of the curriculum. Sometimes, teaching does not systematically identify and address misconceptions and errors in pupils' thinking.

At other times, teaching is not adapted as effectively as it could be for pupils with SEND. This means that sometimes pupils, including those with SEND, repeat mistakes and, at other times, do not know and remember all the key content that they should. Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils' understanding to identify and address any gaps or misconceptions and adapt teaching to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.