Southway Primary School

Overview

Southway Primary School is described as a “friendly and vibrant” institution where pupils “enjoy their learning” and feel their “individual talents are recognised and developed.” The report highlights that staff have “high ambitions” for students, fostering a culture where children “work hard and aim high.” Overall, the school provides a positive environment where bullying is “uncommon and never tolerated,” and parents actively recommend the school due to visible improvements and pupil happiness.

Strengths

• Leaders have implemented an “ambitious curriculum” with detailed planning for what pupils should know from early years through to Year 6.
• Reading is a clear priority, with well-trained staff providing “regular and effective support” to help pupils who fall behind catch up.
• Behaviour is “typically calm and orderly,” with strong routines established from the early years to help pupils develop “greater independence.”
• Staff development is a priority, with high-quality training ensuring teachers deliver subjects with “confidence” and “strong subject knowledge.”
• Pupils benefit from diverse opportunities to explore interests through clubs and leadership roles, helping them become “more confident” and take “pride in their school.”

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure reading resources are of “consistently high quality” and carefully selected to meet pupils’ needs, as current choices sometimes hinder learning.
• The full breadth of the planned curriculum is not currently being delivered; leaders should continue implementing plans to “restore the full curriculum quickly.”
• The needs of some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), particularly regarding social, emotional, and mental health, are not identified and met “precisely enough.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “arrangements for safeguarding are effective,” noting a “vigilant safeguarding culture” where staff report concerns readily and leaders take “effective action.”