St Augustines Federated Schools: CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

A strong sense of inclusion permeates this school.

Pupils and their families of all faiths or none are warmly welcomed. Pupils get on well together. They are taught to respect differences no matter what identity people have.

Leaders pay much attention to identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils feel happy and are safe in this school community.Children learn well in the Nursery and Reception classes.

Many children who enter early years are at the very early stages of speaking English as an additional language. Leaders prioritise developing children's spoken language skills from the start. Across the sc...hool, pupils achieve well in English and mathematics.

However, in Years 1 to 6, leaders have not made sure that pupils gain a deep enough knowledge in several other subjects.Pupils enjoy positive working relationships with adults. Staff have high expectations for pupils' conduct.

Pupils behave well throughout the day and follow well-established routines. Leaders deal with bullying effectively. They work with those involved to help them to get along together in the future.

Pupils welcome the opportunities to take on leadership roles. For instance, they can stand for election to be a school councillor, sports leader or anti-bullying ambassador. These pupil leaders make an important contribution to daily school life.

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

Teaching pupils to read is a high priority. Leaders have ensured that all staff have the expertise to teach phonics effectively. Books that pupils use for practising their reading are well matched to the sounds that they learn.

Early reading is taught from the start in early years. Staff use ongoing assessment to identify those pupils who fall behind. Extra, tailored support is delivered every day, including for pupils with SEND.

Staff run workshops for parents and carers to help them support their children's reading at home. Early years staff also constantly work to increase children's listening and speaking skills. As a result, pupils learn to read with confidence and fluency.

They also broaden their vocabulary successfully.In the core subjects of English and mathematics, pupils achieve well. Teachers have the expertise to ensure that the well-sequenced curriculum is delivered effectively in these subjects.

They often check on pupils' progress through the curriculum. They use this information to address pupils' knowledge gaps and misconceptions.In recent years, leaders of other subjects have put much effort into developing their curriculum.

Nevertheless, in Years 1 to 6, curriculum thinking is not rigorous enough in several subjects. It does not ensure that pupils gain and remember substantial knowledge across the subjects. Leaders aim to meet the end-goals of the national curriculum.

However, they have not identified the specific knowledge steps that pupils need to be taught in order to reach those goals. Much is left to the individual decisions of teachers. This results in disjointed teaching.

Teachers do not have a clear enough understanding of pupils' knowledge gaps and misconceptions. As a result, pupils' achievement in those subjects is not good. In a few cases, leaders have recently introduced new curriculum thinking, drawing on commercial schemes of work.

This is beginning to help teachers to deliver well-sequenced lessons.

Early years leaders are experienced and are experts in the phase. They have given much thought to planning and delivering an ambitious curriculum.

As a result, children's development of knowledge is well supported across all areas of learning.Leaders have clear systems for identifying the needs of pupils with SEND. This work is supported by guidance from a range of therapists, who also help staff to plan and deliver bespoke support.

Staff are well trained and they make suitable adaptations to teaching and resources, for example. As a result, pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. They are also included in all aspects of school life.

Children in early years are encouraged to be curious. They are attentive and work and play together sensibly. Pupils are keen to learn.

Teachers deal with occasional low-level disruption quickly so that learning can continue.Through lessons and assemblies, pupils are taught a range of topics to support their personal development. These include, for example, developing pupils' understanding of how to form healthy relationships.

Pupils are encouraged to have empathy and told how to look after their mental health. Alongside a programme of enrichment activities, pupils have opportunities to participate in several clubs. For example, older pupils can attend the debating club, which is supported by pupils from the secondary school with which the school is federated.

Topics discussed are varied. For example, pupils recently debated the question of replacing teachers with artificial intelligence robots. Pupils also visit a range of places of interest, such as museums and Lord's Cricket Ground.

Older pupils go on a residential trip that includes team-building activities.Staff said that their workload is manageable. They appreciate leaders' open-door policy.

They feel that leaders are approachable and considerate of staff's welfare.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Through regular training, leaders make sure that they and staff are up to date with the latest statutory guidance and local safeguarding concerns.

Staff are vigilant and report any signs or changes of behaviour that indicate that a pupil might be vulnerable and need help. Leaders work closely with external agencies to arrange timely support for pupils and their families who need support to keep safe and take care of their welfare.Through the curriculum, pupils learn about risk and how to stay safe, including when using the internet.

Leaders have established appropriate vetting procedures when appointing new staff.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In Years 1 to 6, some leaders do not have a secure understanding of how to develop a well-sequenced curriculum in the subjects for which they are responsible. This means that in some subjects, pupils are not gaining a deep enough knowledge.

Senior leaders should ensure and assure that all subject leaders are supported to gain the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need in order to develop an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. ? In some foundation subjects in Years 1 to 6, leaders have not identified precisely what they want pupils to know and remember long term. Teachers are not given clear enough guidance on the knowledge that they need to teach their pupils.

This means that pupils are not learning those subjects in sufficient depth. Leaders should specify exactly what knowledge and skills they want pupils to know and remember. These should be well sequenced so that pupils build accumulatively secure and deep knowledge and understanding.

• In some subject areas in Years 1 to 6, teachers are not checking pupils' understanding of the curriculum effectively enough. This means that they are not identifying pupils' knowledge gaps and misconceptions. Leaders should ensure that teachers identify pupils who fall behind and take appropriate action promptly.