Pupils are proud to be part of this welcoming, caring school where they make good friends and are very happy. They live up to the school motto of being ‘happy, helpful and hardworking’. Pupils said that every day they are met with smiles and have fun ways to learn. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds have interesting and exciting experiences in and out of the classroom. They enjoy learning. They learn a broad range of subjects in well-planned and interesting ways. Staff expect pupils to do their best in all that they do. Trips out, music, sports, cookery and visitors to school together form an integral part of what the school offers. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Pupils learn to be kind and respectful. They are accepting and tolerant of others who may be different from themselves. They learn without fear of bullying or discrimination of any kind. The headteacher and her team make sure that all pupils are safe. Pupils and their families are supported exceptionally well if they have any worries or concerns. One parent wrote, ‘The school has a real heart to it and we really feel part of the family.’ What does the school do well and what does it need to do better? The headteacher’s highly effective leadership has made a notable impact on the school and its community. Parents and carers strongly appreciate how much the school offers their children. They are very supportive of the school and have nothing but praise for the headteacher and her team. Leaders ensure that pupils experience an ambitious, wide and balanced curriculum. They have mapped out exactly what they want pupils to learn, and when. Some subjects are continuing to develop to make sure that the outcomes for pupils are consistently strong. Systems and support are in place to ensure that this happens. Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong because they are supported well. Teaching builds on what pupils have learned before. This helps pupils to know and remember more. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. They have the same opportunities to learn as others have. The school makes sure that they get the extra help they need so that they learn well. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes get a good start to school and settle in well. Phonics is taught well. Children in the Nursery are encouraged to listen to the sounds all around them. They are ready to learn phonics as soon as they start in the Reception Year. Children are read to every day and learn to love books and story times. Children and pupils are given extra support to catch up if they are not learning as quickly or as well as they should. Leaders looked carefully at how reading developed from key stage 1 to key stage 2 Inspection report: Riverside Primary School 12–13 November 2019 2 as pupils were not doing as well as they should. Improvements have been made. Training has developed staff knowledge and confidence. High-quality class texts are helping pupils to know and remember more and link learning across subjects. For example, because pupils were studying the Tudors in history, they understood the references in the novel ‘Treason’. The choice of texts also encourages pupils to think deeply about broader issues. Leaders and governors are aware that they need to continue to carefully check that reading continues to improve. The school contributes exceptionally well to pupils’ personal development. Their lives are enriched by a wealth of activities. These help them develop as well-rounded, responsible, caring citizens. Pupils make a positive impact on the local community through the Riverside Rangers projects, for example through visiting local care homes. Pupils enjoy the responsibilities they are given and carry them out diligently. These include corridor monitors, play buddies and reading buddies. Pupils’ physical and emotional health is taken very seriously. Healthy lifestyles and healthy eating feature prominently. Pupils speak with excitement about growing different types of food in the biodome and cooking in the cookery corner. Physical exercise, including dance, are part of pupils’ daily life at school and they take part with enthusiasm. The school reaches out to its families to work together to support the pupils. A parent wrote: ‘I firmly believe that we are a happier and healthier family thanks to the dedicated, caring and professional staff at this school.’ Teachers appreciate the headteacher’s attention to their well-being. Governors are mindful of staff’s workload, including that of the headteacher. Leaders and teachers benefit from expertise, training and support from the trust.