St Andrew’s Ceva Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St Andrew's is a happy school where pupils enjoy learning new things every day. Pupils are confident and friendly.

The school's values, 'I ASPIRE', are at the heart of school life.

Staff are always looking for ways to raise pupils' aspirations. Visitors to the school talk to pupils about the jobs they do. They ignite pupils' interest in different careers.

Pupils have ambitions. They told us how they hope to become scientists, doctors or firefighters.

Leaders want pupils to love the books they read.

Pupils enjoy listening to classic stories that capture their imagination and build their vocabulary. More and more pupils are becoming keen reade...rs. They are eager to talk about stories and poems they have enjoyed at school.

Year 6 pupils, for example, loved reciting the poem 'The Highwayman', which they had learned by heart.

Pupils behave well. They say that bullying rarely happens.

Events like 'odd socks day' help pupils understand and celebrate differences between people. Pupils know there are caring adults they can turn to if they have any worries.

Pupils join lots of different clubs.

They experience exciting visits, including to outdoor activity centres.

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

Leaders have set out the important knowledge that pupils should learn in every subject and by when. They have made sure that the plans build on what pupils already know.

Pupils' work is of a good quality. It is getting better all the time.

Staff teach phonics well.

Children in the Reception classes start learning phonics earlier than children have in previous years. Leaders are improving the stock of early reading books. Occasionally, the books pupils read to practise their phonics are too hard for them.

Pupils read increasingly challenging texts as they move through the school. They read with fluency and understanding. Pupils read books that help them to learn in other subjects.

For example, pupils enjoy reading books linked to their work on Ancient Egypt.

Pupils achieve well in mathematics. Teaching is well planned to build pupils' understanding step by step.

This helps them to master important skills. Pupils are confident and can tackle increasingly demanding work.

Leaders make sure that the curriculums in science and in history are ambitious for all pupils.

Teachers re-visit and practise regularly the key knowledge they want pupils to remember. Pupils recall confidently what they have learned. This planned re-visiting of learning is not evident in all subjects.

In some subject plans, it is not clear what the important things are that pupils should remember from their units of work.

Children play and learn happily together in the Reception classes. They know the class routines well and are growing in independence.

They tidy away equipment, butter their own toast and wash their hands after messy activities. Staff know children well and how to capture their interests. The whereabouts of the missing gingerbread man left the children spellbound!

Pupils are creative and imaginative.

They enjoy learning about the arts. They understand important values such as democracy, the rule of law and respect for others. Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures.

Pupils access an interesting range of school clubs, including those for archery, drama and mindfulness.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They want to do their best and they work well together.

Pupils are taught British values and are shown how to respect others.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective help and care. Teachers and teaching assistants know what these pupils find difficult.

They skilfully adapt the work they provide so that pupils with SEND can still complete the activity, while it remains demanding for them.

The governing body has been strengthened since the previous inspection. Governors challenge leaders when they spot that there might be signs of underachievement.

They meet regularly with staff and pupils to find out about how well the school is meeting its aims.

Leaders put the interests of the pupils at the heart of every decision. Staff feel well supported by leaders and are proud to work at St Andrew's.

They value the thought leaders give to their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that there are clear arrangements for keeping pupils safe.

Staff know exactly what to do if they have any concerns about the safety of a pupil.

The learning mentor and the family support workers provide useful advice and support. Parents and carers value the help they get at difficult times for their families.

Pupils have a good understanding of the potential dangers they face when they are online. Visits by organisations such as Google, the fire service and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) help pupils to know how to keep themselves safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Some teachers do not re-visit previous learning frequently enough.

Some pupils are unable to recall what they have learned in some subjects. Leaders should make sure that teachers re-visit and assess pupils' knowledge and understanding across the curriculum so that they do not forget it. .

The books that some younger pupils read are too demanding. They do not have the phonic knowledge needed to read the words fluently. Leaders should make sure that teachers carefully select books that match the phonic knowledge that pupils have already been taught.