Springwood Heath Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 1 October 2024

Springwood Heath is a very distinctive school. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive. Pupils in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) receive well-tailored support from staff who know them exceptionally well. Pupils are proud of the diverse nature of their school. They make sure that everyone is welcome. Pupils' positive attitudes help make the school a happy place to learn and play. Children in the early years learn quickly how they are expected to behave. They listen, take turns and follow well-established routines. Older pupils build on this positive start. They typically behave well. Pupils who find it more challenging to manage their own behaviour are supported gently and sensitively. The school wants pupils to succeed academically. Recent improvements to the curriculum mean that many achieve well across a range of different subjects. More and more, pupils achieve the school's vision of 'success through caring and learning'. Pupils readily take on roles of responsibility, for example, by acting as school councillors or digital leaders. In doing so, pupils develop a keen sense of responsibility. A wide range of clubs allows pupils to discover and nurture their interests and talents.

What the school should improve

• Some staff lack the expertise to support pupils with gaps in their reading knowledge. This means that some of these pupils struggle to become fluent readers. The school should make sure that staff get the support that they need to deliver the reading curriculum equally well so that they remedy the gaps in these pupils' reading knowledge swiftly.
• At times, teachers do not focus on helping pupils to retain the most important knowledge that they have learned, including subject-specific vocabulary. As a result, some pupils are less confident in recalling learning over time. The school should ensure that teachers design learning that focuses on the key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to build a secure understanding across the curriculum.

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