Killowen Primary School

Overview

Killowen Primary School has established a new vision, ‘Nurture, Inspire and Shine Together’, following a period of significant staffing change. The report highlights a collaborative culture where staff are clear about priorities, with particular praise for the quality of play-based learning in the foundation stage and the supportive environment for children with special educational needs.

Strengths

• The school provides a “safe and nurturing environment” where children feel valued, supported by effective practices like daily ‘soft greetings’ and the Barnardo’s PATHS programme.
• Foundation stage children benefit from “very well-planned and well-resourced” outdoor learning sessions that promote exploratory play and high engagement.
• Staff demonstrate a “whole-staff commitment to raising standards in spelling,” with internal data showing a positive impact on children’s writing.
• The school maintains an “inclusive ethos” with effective small-group support and strong partnerships with external agencies to meet diverse learner needs.
• Children are described as “happy, enthusiastic learners” who take pride in their achievements and participate actively in school life.

Areas to improve

• The school should provide increased opportunities for emergent writing in foundation stage classes and extended writing across the school.
• Greater consistency is needed in using targeted strategies to support children with additional needs across all classrooms.
• The school must develop a structured approach to listening to children and acting upon their views, while ensuring teaching strategies better match the full range of abilities.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for child protection align to the current statutory guidance.”