Salmestone Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 15 October 2024

Pupils are proud of their school and see it as a close, family community. Staff work hard here to support pupils and their families. The pastoral care is strong, though does not come at the expense of high aspirations for pupils to achieve academically. As a result, pupils achieve well. They are increasingly better prepared for their move to secondary school when the time comes. Pupils are happy and safe here. They generally behave well and enjoy learning. They frown on silly behaviour. Older pupils say that poor behaviour is not a problem because staff now have higher expectations than in past. Pupils enjoy the opportunities they get as leaders, but want more chances to help their teachers, who they feel are kind and who give everyone an equal chance to enjoy school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well to access the curriculum. This includes in the early years, where children develop quickly as independent learners. Many pupils benefit from the school's ACE programme (a champion for every child), which provides additional support for their reading, attendance and well- being. Pupils themselves value this initiative, not least because it enables them to share any concerns, as well as celebrate the progress they are making.

What the school should improve

• On occasion, staff do not adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils as well as they might. Activity choices sometimes hold learning up. Sometimes, staff miss the chance to move learning on. This means that pupils sometimes lose focus and their progress through the curriculum is not as strong as it might be. The school should continue to focus sharply on ensuring that best practice is more widely shared, so that all pupils benefit from high-quality teaching.
• Rates of pupil absence, including persistent absence, are too high. Too many pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Despite the school's focus on this problem, rates of absence are not falling as quickly as they should, meaning that too many pupils are missing school. The school should redouble its efforts in this area to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly, so that their academic potential and life chances are fully realised.

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