Phoenix Community Primary School

Overview

Phoenix Community Primary School continues to be a good school, maintaining high standards despite significant challenges from the pandemic and building works. The report highlights a "caring and friendly community" where pupils are happy, well-behaved, and feel safe, supported by staff who know them well.

Strengths

• Leaders have designed an "ambitious, broad curriculum" that motivates pupils, with effective efforts to address learning gaps caused by the pandemic.
• Staff hold "equally ambitious expectations for all pupils," including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, providing timely and effective support.
• Reading is prioritised with well-taught phonics; younger pupils read books matching their known sounds, while older pupils engage with "high-quality and often challenging texts."
• Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes, working well together and showing resilience, as evidenced by their enjoyment of residential visits and extracurricular clubs.
• Staff work as a "strong team," appreciating guidance from leaders and governors, while safeguarding arrangements are described as "effective."

Areas to improve

• The "most important knowledge and skills pupils need to know by the end of a year or key stage are not as clearly defined in all subjects" as in others.
• Pupils "do not always remember well enough what they have learned," requiring leaders to ensure knowledge builds towards agreed end points.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with fully trained staff who are alert to concerns and provide rapid support to vulnerable pupils.