Greensted Primary School & Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Greensted is a happy and friendly school. A typical comment from a pupil is, 'It is really nice at Greensted.

New people are always welcome here and treated with kindness.'

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievements. Pupils rise well to these.

Their successes are celebrated and rewarded. Pupils appreciate gaining house points and receiving certificates and 'golden tickets' in celebration assemblies. They respond with enthusiasm to their 'quest books', providing challenges from Reception to Year 6 as they journey through the school.

Pupils' behaviour is exceptional. They embrace the school's golden rules of success, kindness and honest...y. Pupils have positive relationships with each other and with staff.

In early years, children are happy, confident and achieve well. Bullying is rare, and pupils feel that if it did happen it would be addressed swiftly. This means that pupils feel safe.

Pupils like how the school has joined the infants and juniors together and that all children have a voice in the school. Older pupils are excellent role models for younger children. They enjoy leadership and ambassadorial roles such as the Year 6 'Blazer Squad' and being members of the 'school parliament'.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and accessible to all pupils. The school identifies, assesses and meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Learning is brought to life in lessons and through trips and visiting speakers.

Learning in the early years is outstanding. Children enjoy explaining their work, for example sharing that they can order numbers from 0 to 5 forwards and backwards. Teachers challenge pupils' thinking.

In religious education in Year 2, pupils engage with key questions such as, 'Why is light an important symbol for Jews, Christians and Hindus?' In Year 5, complex connections are made when pupils compare different religious theories. However, in some subjects, the curriculum does not identify the precise knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that pupils cannot always build on their knowledge and move on to more complex learning.

Teachers check how well pupils understand their learning and support their next steps. In the early years, staff use their checks on children's understanding to personalise their teaching and accelerate children's learning so that they are ready for Year 1. However, in some subjects, checks on pupils' knowledge do not always link precisely to what pupils have been learning.

Some 'dive-deeper' questions do not build on what has been learned and do not challenge pupils' thinking. This means that pupils do not always achieve as highly as they might.

A joy of reading pervades the school.

Pupils appreciate the wide selection of books available from classics such as 'The Lord of the Rings' to new titles like 'Super Ghost'. For younger readers, careful consideration has gone into selecting the phonics programme and matching pupils' books with the sounds they are learning. There is a sharp focus on supporting readers who have fallen behind, so they quickly gain the knowledge and skills needed to become confident, fluent readers.

Parents of children in Reception are encouraged to be involved in workshops where teachers model supporting children's reading. 'Have your cake and read it' mornings across the whole school reinforce a love of reading.

Pupils' behaviour and their attitudes to school are worthy of sharing.

Pupils attend well and are proud of their school and their achievements.

Pupils appreciate the exceptional character-building opportunities on offer. These are woven into the curriculum and designed to develop pupils' confidence, independence and resilience.

Residentials at scout camps and Year 6's visit to Belfast are highlights enjoyed by pupils. There is also a plethora of clubs and teams, for example cheerleading, elite choir and eco warrior club. Participation, excellence and achievement are rewarded with house points from the early years to Year 6.

Pupils' personal development is outstanding. They are taught to think about their futures with careers days. Pupils also learn important life skills such as how to stay safe and healthy.

Pupils celebrate diversity and understand British values with events such as 'best of British' week.

Governors and trustees are ambitious for Greensted School's pupils. They are passionate about providing an education based on the school's motto 'Excellence for all'.

Staff appreciate the support they receive for their training, workload and well-being. This helps to improve the experience for pupils. Parents are positive about the school.

A typical comment from a parent is, 'Both of my children have flourished at this school and absolutely love attending.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The knowledge that pupils should learn and remember is not precisely defined in some subjects.

This means that pupils are not always able to build on previous learning and deepen their understanding. The school should ensure that the important knowledge that pupils should learn from the early years to Year 6 has been identified precisely in each subject. ? Assessments do not always link accurately to what pupils have been learning.

This means that gaps and misconceptions are not always identified in some subjects and that teachers cannot check what pupils have learned, understood and remembered. Pupils are therefore not achieving as well as they might. The school should design assessments to what pupils have been learning, providing opportunities for them to revisit and remember important knowledge, ready for future learning.