Killinghall Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 April 2023

Pupils are proud to attend Killinghall Primary School. They enjoy learning. Leaders and staff value the links that they make with the local community. They care deeply about the families and pupils in the school. Pupils say staff listen to them and appreciate their ideas. Pupils feel safe in school. All staff have high expectations for behaviour. Pupils walk around school quietly and smartly. Staff show respect to pupils and, consequently, pupils show respect for others. Pupils say bullying is very rare. If bullying does happen, they are confident that staff will help them to sort it out. Pupils regard highly the roles and responsibilities they have in the school. They say pupils who are school councillors, well-being ambassadors and active champions are 'inspirational'. Leaders ensure that pupils who take on these roles are trained to make decisions, support others and inform people about healthy lifestyles. Following the pandemic, leaders focused on rebuilding links with, and supporting, the community. Parents are invited into school regularly. They are positive about how the school supports them. Leaders are now focusing on developing the curriculum further. They are clear about where further improvements are needed to ensure pupils remember important learning in all subjects.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, curriculum plans do not identify the important knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn. As a result, teachers do not plan lessons that help pupils to build subject knowledge sequentially. Teachers also cannot assess if this knowledge is being remembered. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum contains sufficient detail to ensure that teachers can plan progressive and coherent sequences of learning.
• Leaders' and teachers' subject knowledge is not developed enough in some subjects. Therefore, leaders do not identify when teachers plan lessons which create misconceptions, or when they are not using, or teaching, subject-specific vocabulary effectively. Leaders need to ensure that all subject leaders and staff have the necessary subject knowledge to ensure that all subjects are taught well.
• The teaching of phonics and early reading is inconsistent. This means that some pupils who are finding reading difficult are not supported well enough and do not practise phonics skills regularly enough. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the knowledge and understanding to implement the phonics scheme effectively, to support pupils to read well.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)