Skyswood Primary & Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. The headteacher and the leadership team, ably supported by an extremely effective and knowledgeable governing body, have been highly successful in bringing about improvements to the quality of teaching and pupils' achievement.

Pupils are now making faster progress, particularly in the early years and in Key Stage 2. Rapid progress in Key Stage 2 means they reach high standards, particularly in mathematics, by the end of Year 6. Standards have improved in all subjects since the school's last inspection.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They are welcoming, inquisitive, passionate about their learning, and proud to take on their resp...onsibilities as prefects, play leaders and 'buddies' in earnest. Pupils say that they feel very safe and have great confidence in their teachers.

The new curriculum involves and excites pupils and supports their excellent progress. The excellent work of the staff, together with rich and varied learning experiences, helps to ensure that children make outstanding progress in the Nursery and Reception classes. The school's work to develop all aspects of pupils' spiritual, moral, cultural and social development is exceptionally effective.

Teachers and teaching assistants are well trained and dedicated to their work. They know pupils very well, ensure that learning is both interesting and exciting, and set exceptionally high expectations for all pupils. The teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) is outstanding.

All groups of pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1 and outstanding progress in Key Stage 2. This includes disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils. The vast majority of parents say that their children are happy at school, and are safe and well looked after.

All say they would recommend the school to others.

Information about this school

This is an average-sized primary school. Over three quarters of the pupils are White British and the others come from various minority ethnic backgrounds.

Less than 10% of the pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support is nearly 6% and this is well below the national average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is nearly 8%, which is below the national average.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Children attend the nursery only in the morning. Those in Reception attend on a full-time basis.

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