Salisbury Road Primary School

Inspection of Salisbury Road Primary School Salisbury Road, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8QZ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected 1–2 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Salisbury Road Primary enjoy coming to school. Leaders and staff have made the school a safe and friendly place to learn. Pupils and adults treat each other with respect. Pupils say bullying is rare; however, if it does occur they say it is dealt with swiftly. Pupils develop new interests through the many clubs on offer. Sport is very popular with pupils and taught well. Teachers plan visits and events to make learning interesting. Staff have focused on supporting pupils to be more confident when speaking. Parents are very happy with the school. The Reception classes have an exciting garden to learn in and explore.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have put new plans in place to help pupils learn and remember more in all subjects. However, some pupils are not being supported to learn as well as they could. For example, in reading, writing, history and science some of the most able pupils find work too easy. This hampers their achievement. Pupils want to learn more about computing, art and design and technology. Teachers have not taught these subjects fully in the past but are beginning to do so now. Teachers are beginning to find interesting stories to help pupils enjoy books and reading.

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better?

The executive headteacher has a new team of leaders and teachers. They are wholeheartedly working to improve the school. However, some pupils do not learn well enough across a range of subjects. Many new ways of teaching were put in place in September. However, leaders have not checked that teachers understand how to adopt these new approaches. They have not helped teachers to plan work based on what pupils already know and can do.

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better?

A number of pupils, in both key stages 1 and 2, have not learned what they need to about reading and writing. Some of these pupils are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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better?

Without being able to read and write well, these pupils struggle in other subjects. Teachers do not take account of this well enough. They do not plan how best to help pupils understand or help them catch up, although teaching assistants do help pupils whenever they can. However, some pupils become discouraged and switch off because learning is too hard.

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better?

Most pupils quickly learn the first steps in reading. However, the next stages of learning to read are not as well planned. Too many pupils rely on extra help outside of their lessons.

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better?

Pupils feel they could learn more than their teachers expect of them. They say more challenging work is what would make the school better. Too often, pupils are repeating work they already understand. This particularly happens in mathematics lessons. 1–2 October 2019

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In most subjects, leaders have planned what pupils need to know and the order they will learn things. This is in place for history and science, but not yet for all subjects. However, new ways to help pupils remember their learning are not working well yet. They are not fully understood by pupils or teachers. Pupils are muddled about the order things have happened in history. They are unclear about what they are actually learning in science.

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Pupils are keen to learn and most come to school regularly. They are polite to visitors and the school is calm and orderly. Most pupils behave well in lessons and do their best. It is only when they do not know what to do that their behaviour slips.

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Pupils are helped to live well in a modern society. They are taught about respect for others. The school celebrates the different languages and cultures that make up their community. Teachers provide nurturing support for pupils who need help with their well-being.

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Children in the early years settle quickly into school and learn well. The early years leader plans teaching from what the children already know and can do. She appreciates that each year will be different. Staff quickly spot children who need help. From the start, children learn sounds and letters to help them read. They listen to stories every day. Teachers plan well to meet children’s different needs. Teachers use the outdoor space well. For example, children look for bugs in their garden. They are able to use pictures to identify different creatures.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff care for the pupils and know them well. Parents agree that this is a strength of the school. Staff are vigilant for any risks to pupils’ well-being. They act appropriately in line with their training to report concerns to leaders. Leaders work closely with agencies that provide pupils and their families with support.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have identified risks which pupils may face in the community, including through the use of technology. The school’s policies for the use of technology support pupils’ safety. Pupils are taught well about the safe use of the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While the school is improving the curriculum it offers pupils, it is not yet providing a good enough quality of education. This is particularly the case for pupils who need to catch up and those who need more challenge. Leaders need to establish a coherent curriculum that supports the learning of all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.  The learning in some subjects is well sequenced. However, this is not the case for 1–2 October 2019

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all subjects. Leaders know that all subjects have not been taught fully in the past and this has left pupils with missing knowledge. Leaders need to develop the consistency and quality in how the curriculum is delivered as well as identifying the content to be taught.  Children in early years and pupils in key stage 1 develop their phonic knowledge well. However, the reading curriculum lacks clarity. It does not promote fluency in both reading and writing. Leaders should ensure that the successful acquisition of phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) knowledge by most pupils is built on more effectively to develop their reading and writing.  Subject leaders are enthusiastic and most have good subject knowledge. The new approach to the curriculum and many programmes across a range of subjects were put in place at the beginning of this academic year. There has been insufficient planning for how leaders will support teachers’ subject knowledge and

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enable them to adapt subject content. Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching have not identified teachers’ variability in skills. Leaders need to establish a more rigorous approach to checking the quality of curriculum implementation.  Leaders acknowledge that assessment is still a work in progress for subjects beyond writing and mathematics. Currently, teachers are deciding on systems of assessment at class level across most subjects, including in reading. These do not always identify what pupils know. Leader need to develop a shared understanding of how they wish assessment to be used in the school.  Leaders with responsibility for overseeing the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND are developing plans to support teachers. However, these new approaches need to be securely implemented.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 1–2 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111451 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.salisburyroad.plymouth.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected as an academy

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Information about this school

 Salisbury Road Primary School became an academy in November 2016. It is part of the Learning Academies Trust. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require improvement.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with senior and subject leaders across the two days of inspection. They considered the school’s plans for the curriculum, its delivery and assessment as part of these meetings. Inspectors took account of the school’s plans to improve.  The lead inspector met with a group of governors and also the chief executive officer of the trust. The impact of the trust and governance on the curriculum was discussed.  Inspectors looked closely at reading, writing, science, history and art. This involved visiting lessons and looking at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector read with groups of pupils from different year groups. Inspectors talked to teachers 1–2 October 2019

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about their understanding of the school’s approaches to teaching the curriculum. Inspectors also talked to pupils about their views of the school and their learning. Inspectors also visited the Reception classes to review the curriculum for children who are currently in their first weeks in school.  Inspectors met with the leader with responsibility for pupils with SEND and also the school’s pupil premium champion. The inspector visited classes with these leaders to see the provision and impact in this aspect of the school’s work.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s policies and procedures for safeguarding through discussions with leaders and staff. They considered the views of parents through the 82 responses to Ofsted Parent View and the comments which parents made through the survey. Inspectors held an additional meeting with staff in order for them to share their views of the school, including those relating to their workload

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and safeguarding.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour in their lessons and around the school. They discussed behaviour with pupils. An inspector attended a school assembly.

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Inspection team

Wendy Marriott, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Steward Ofsted Inspector 1–2 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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