Gladstone Road Primary School

Overview

Pupils at Gladstone Road Primary School are described as “happy” and “enthusiastic ambassadors” who speak with “real affection” for staff. The report highlights a “positive” behaviour culture where bullying is “very rare” and pupils feel safe. Leaders have developed an “ambitious curriculum” since the previous inspection, resulting in high levels of pupil interest and effective phonics teaching.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate a “genuine love of reading” and benefit from a “well-stocked library” and high-quality books.
• The early years provision offers a “purposeful environment for play and learning” that helps children develop vocabulary and number skills well.
• Teachers make adaptations to allow pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to access the “same lesson content as their peers.”
• The school promotes “equality, diversity and tolerance,” with pupils showing “high levels of understanding and empathy for others.”
• Governors provide “appropriate challenge to school leaders” and support teachers’ well-being and workload.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure teachers implement the full curriculum design with “consistency across all subjects,” particularly in foundation subjects where implementation is not fully embedded.
• Systems to check what pupils have learned need to be strengthened in some foundation subjects so they “accurately inform future learning.”

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with a “very strong culture of safeguarding” and robust recruitment processes ensuring pupils’ safety.