Cayley Primary School

Overview

Cayley Primary School continues to be a good school, characterised by leaders and staff who “want what is best for pupils” and foster “professional, respectful and warm” relationships. The inspection highlights a “well-thought-out, ambitious curriculum” and a strong emphasis on nurturing pupils’ well-being, with staff demonstrating high expectations for learning and behaviour.

Strengths

• Leaders have designed a curriculum that is “sequenced so that pupils build on what they have learned before,” ensuring secure knowledge retention.
• Phonics is “taught well,” with most pupils quickly learning to read and receiving extra practice if at risk of falling behind.
• Staff know pupils well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, ensuring they “access the same curriculum as their peers.”
• Pupils exhibit “positive attitudes to learning,” behave well, and feel safe, knowing they can talk to any adult if worried.
• The governing body provides “good oversight of the strengths and next steps for the school,” holding leaders to account while remaining supportive.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure the “well-sequenced curriculum is implemented in all subject areas,” as some revised plans have not yet been fully implemented.
• Leaders must ensure that “all reading books align precisely with pupils’ needs,” as some books are not sharply matched to the sounds pupils are learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with “robust checks in place” and well-established systems enabling staff to identify and support pupils at risk of harm.