Springfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy being in school. They talk enthusiastically about the different things they do.

For example, the youngest children enjoy going to 'forest school' and Year 6 are looking forward to their residential trip.

Pupils are safe and well looked after by staff. They are confident that staff will help them with any concerns they have.

A typical comment was: 'All our teachers care about us.'

Staff manage behaviour in a consistent and positive way. As a result, the school is calm, and pupils behave well.

Pupils know how to follow the school's STOP1 and STOP2 systems for sorting out bullying. They are confident that staff will ...deal with bullying if it happens.

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils and want the best for them.

Pupils make good progress in reading and mathematics. Although pupils remember their learning over time in subjects such as history and geography, this is not always the case in other subjects. This is because the curriculum does not always build on what pupils already know.

In some subjects, such as music and religious education (RE), some teachers lack the detailed subject knowledge they need.

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

Senior leaders have rightly focused on developing pupils' learning in reading and mathematics. As a result, teachers ensure that knowledge in these subjects is taught in the right order.

This helps pupils remember their learning. Some pupils did not learn as much as others when the school closed due to the pandemic. Leaders plan work carefully so that these pupils can catch up quickly.

History and geography learning is also carefully planned. However, teachers are not always clear about what they need to teach in other subjects. This is because curriculum plans are not specific enough.

As a result, pupils' knowledge and skills do not build well over time. Although curriculum leaders are keen to improve their subjects, not all have the leadership skills to develop their subjects. Some staff lack the detailed knowledge they need to teach subjects such as music and RE.

Children begin to learn phonics from their first days in Reception. They quickly learn the sounds they need to read fluently and confidently. If pupils need extra help, staff provide support straight away.

Pupils enjoy hearing their teachers read to them. Pupils have lots of opportunities to practise their reading. Teachers make sure that pupils read books that match their interests and reading skills.

Pupils talk with enthusiasm about different authors and the books they enjoy.

Teachers understand how to adapt their plans for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Adults provide extra help both in lessons and in small group 'afternoon surgeries'.

This ensures that pupils with SEND gain confidence and achieve well.

Pupils behave well. In lessons, they pay attention, share resources and help one another.

On the few occasions when pupils lose concentration, teachers use a quiet word to help pupils refocus. This does not interrupt lessons. At breaktimes, behaviour can be boisterous, but it is safe and well supervised.

Lunchtime supervisors provide good support; they include everyone in games and join in themselves.

Pupils know and understand the school's values of respect, resilience, empathy and reflection. For example, one pupil explained resilience as 'don't give up; keep trying'.

Pupils learn about writers, musicians and sports people from different backgrounds. Older pupils have lessons in which they consider current events in the news. These promote pupils' moral, social and cultural development well.

Staff value the way in which senior leaders consider their workload and well-being. For example, they appreciated a recent mental health workshop. Leaders provide good support for teachers at the beginning of their careers.

Parents and carers spoken to during the inspection were happy with the school. Teachers contacted pupils regularly during the pandemic when they were not in school. Parents particularly valued this.

Governors hold leaders to account effectively. They know the strengths of the school and what needs improving. They undertake regular training.

They are mindful of staff workload and well-being.

Children in the early years enjoy school. This is because adults plan interesting and exciting learning activities.

Adults know the children well and help them feel safe. Adults understand how children learn. They prioritise children's language skills.

For example, children talked confidently about colours as they painted the models they had made. Children enjoy exploring and investigating in the woodland area. They counted the acorns they had found and talked about what acorns could become.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Keeping pupils safe is a high priority. Regular training for all staff and governors ensures that they know what to do if a pupil may be at risk.

Staff report concerns about pupils' well-being quickly. Where pupils need extra help, leaders work well with outside agencies. Checks on new staff and their suitability to work with children are thorough.

Pupils feel safe. They know staff will help them when required. Pupils know how to manage risks.

For example, pupils have a good understanding of the NSPCC 'PANTS' rules about keeping themselves safe. They also know how to stay safe when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum plans in subjects such as science, music, physical education (PE) and RE are not as carefully developed as they are in other subjects.

Plans are not sequenced well enough to enable pupils to build and remember knowledge. Leaders should continue the work they have started to improve these plans so that pupils know more and remember more over time. ? Some subject leaders do not have the leadership skills they need to develop their subjects effectively.

This limits the development of the curriculum in these subjects. Leaders should provide subject leaders with the training and support they need, so that they can lead the development of their curriculum area more effectively. ? In some subjects, teachers' subject knowledge is not thorough enough.

This means that teachers do not deliver the curriculum with the necessary confidence and expertise. Consequently, pupils do not make consistently good progress. Leaders should provide staff with the training and support they need to enable them to teach to the depth required.