Salisbury Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Salisbury Primary School Salisbury Street, Darlaston, Wednesbury, West Midlands WS10 8BQ

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Outcome

Salisbury Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are warm and trusting relationships at Salisbury Primary. Staff meet pupils as they enter the school each morning with a friendly smile. Pupils feel safe and know that adults will listen to them if they have any concerns. The school monitors pupils’ behaviour closely and acts quickly to resolve any issues.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils listen carefully to staff and work hard in lessons. There are opportunities for pupils to hold positions of responsibility, such as house captains and school councillors, so they have a ‘voice’ in school. Pupils were involved in the recent review of school rules. They describe the new behaviour policy as fair and say that staff uphold it consistently.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are supported to be active and healthy. They benefit from an ambitious physical education curriculum. There are lunchtime and after-school sports activities. An increasing number of competitions and tournaments have started to take place, including the opportunity to play at a local football stadium. Pupils speak of after-school clubs with great enthusiasm. Pupils enjoy the weekly enrichment activities but would like more opportunities to try new things.

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

There have been significant changes to the school during the last two years. Under new leadership, the building has been reorganised and refreshed to create an appealing and inviting learning environment. High-quality examples of pupils’ work are attractively displayed to celebrate achievements and inspire pupils to do their best.

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

The curriculum has been reviewed and improved to reflect the diverse needs of pupils. The school now has an ambitious curriculum which engages pupils’ interests from the early years to Year 6 and standards are rising. Pupils revisit their previous learning before moving on to new skills and concepts. Their knowledge is building and they are able to 16 and 17 July 2024

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apply what they learn with confidence. Pupils are able to discuss their learning and can explain how their work is improving.

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The school has a focus on the values and personal characteristics that will prepare pupils for later phases of education or employment as well as supporting them to maintain positive relationships. This is achieved through assemblies and carefully considered links across the curriculum. This is helping to prepare them for life in their own diverse community and in modern Britain. However, the range of opportunities pupils experience beyond the curriculum have not yet fully returned to pre-COVID 19 levels so pupils have limited opportunities to develop their resilience, independence and confidence.

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Reading is a priority for the school. Staff are well trained and the teaching of phonics is consistent. Assessments are used effectively to identify when pupils are ready to move on, or if they need additional support to keep up. Those who join midway through the school year are assessed and begin their phonics or reading lessons promptly. Almost all pupils learn the skills they need to become fluent readers. However, some do not learn them as quickly as they should. Those pupils who find reading difficult are not gaining the fluency that will enable them to become good readers. The school has already identified this and has plans in place to make the necessary improvements.

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The early years curriculum prioritises children’s vocabulary and communication skills. Children in the Reception year listen attentively to stories and learn rhymes which help them to remember letter sounds. They learn to use mathematical vocabulary and can confidently identify and name two- and three-dimensional shapes. The early years curriculum is carefully planned so that children are well prepared for Year 1.

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The school has high expectations for all pupils. Teachers provide extra resources or adapt work so that pupils with SEND are able to access the same learning as their classmates. The school makes sure that the needs of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding are met. These pupils are well supported and make good progress.

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Many pupils join the school with low starting points. The school understands the need for regular school attendance if all pupils are to make the progress of which they are capable. By working with families and involving appropriate external agencies, when necessary, the school has supported pupils to improve their attendance and has significantly reduced persistent absence.

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Staff appreciate the consideration for their workload. They have been supported and given time to adjust to the school’s new curriculum. High-quality training has enabled them to plan effective lessons and improve their own teaching skills.

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Governors are skilled and knowledgeable. They challenge and support the school effectively and ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 16 and 17 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all pupils are gaining the skills they need to become fluent readers. This means that they are not able to fully access the curriculum nor be able to work independently as they continue their education. The school should ensure that the new phonics scheme ensures that all pupils read with fluency and gain the necessary skills for their future learning.  Pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, do not have access to a sufficiently wide range of experiences beyond the curriculum. As a result, there are fewer opportunities for pupils to be resilient, independent and confident than there might be. The school should consider the enrichment opportunities that can be offered so that pupils’ talents and interests can be nurtured and developed further.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium 16 and 17 July 2024

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funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 16 and 17 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 April 2019 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, the school has formed a federation with one other local primary school. The King’s Federation has an executive headteacher and deputy headteacher who lead both schools.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This is the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and assistant headteachers.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about 16 and 17 July 2024

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their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects .  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector heard a selection of pupils reading to members of staff. Other pupils were heard reading their own work during lessons.  The inspector met with groups of pupils to talk about their learning and life in school.  The inspector met with parents and carers at the end of the school day and took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector met with teachers and took account of responses to the staff survey.  The inspector considered a range of documents and checked the records of attendance

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Inspection team

Anne Potter, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 July 2024

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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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