Culloden Primary - A Paradigm Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Culloden Primary School is a calm and joyous place to learn.

Pupils very much enjoy attending this friendly school. They settle quickly in the early years and develop caring relationships with staff. This nurturing ethos continues through to Year 6.

Pupils feel safe and trust the staff around them to help whenever they have any worries.

The school has a strong inclusive culture that supports pupils exceptionally well, including those who are disadvantaged. It creates an environment where pupils feel valued members of the school community and are empowered to achieve their full potential, both academically and in their wider development.

The school ha...s very high expectations for all pupils' achievement. They get a superb education, learn much and grow in many ways. Whatever their backgrounds, starting points or needs, all are supported to do their best and succeed.

From the early years up, pupils' achievement is excellent. Pupils also benefit from an exciting array of opportunities beyond the classroom, including thought-provoking experiences that broaden their horizons.

Many pupils speak different languages, and some arrive at different times during the year.

Staff help them to settle in quickly and feel at home in the school community. Deaf pupils and those with other special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive expert support. They access the curriculum confidently and do very well in their learning.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has constructed a highly ambitious and inspiring curriculum for its pupils. It matches the ambition of the national curriculum and is crafted to meet pupils' needs and generate excitement for acquiring new knowledge. Across subjects, expectations of pupils' learning are clearly thought out, including, for example, the development of subject-specific vocabulary.

Starting in the early years, the curriculum is logically ordered so that pupils build their knowledge exceptionally well over time. This means that pupils are well placed to tackle more-complex ideas as they move through the school. For example, in mathematics, older pupils solve multi-step problems confidently because they have already secured their understanding of number and place value.

Excellent explanations by teachers and modelling give pupils the tools that they need to be confident in building and applying knowledge in a subject.

In the early years too, the curriculum is delivered with skill, supported by well-chosen resources and interactions between staff and children. For example, in the outdoor area, staff know how to support children to take risks safely and sensibly and develop their physical skills.

Staff provide strong support for pupils with SEND. Leaders identify pupils' needs accurately and respond swiftly. In classrooms, staff skilfully adapt activities to meet individual needs.

As a result of this, pupils are helped to overcome any barriers and learn with confidence alongside their peers. This includes pupils who attend the deaf support base. These pupils benefit from a well-judged combination of targeted interventions, learning in mainstream classes as well as the use of British Sign Language to support their access to the curriculum.

The school has a long-established commitment to teaching phonics using a structured scheme, with effective extra support for those who need it. Children learn phonics from the start of Reception. They are quickly and accurately able to use their phonics knowledge to sound out and blend words.

Books sent home match the sounds taught in class, and this supports pupils' reading practice. Staff receive high-quality training and deliver the programme exceptionally well. Children in early years show lots of enthusiasm for reading, enjoying rhymes and storytelling.

Pupils' behaviour is impeccable. Staff are very clear on how they expect pupils to behave. Adults model politeness and kindness.

They teach pupils important social skills so that pupils have the tools to reflect on and manage their emotions. Pupils also learn how others may be different from themselves. Pupils say that 'everyone is included here'.

They show an appreciation for diversity and demonstrate high levels of respect for others.

The school has successfully improved rates of attendance in recent years. Most pupils attend school regularly.

Where this is not the case, the school is persistent in seeking out and addressing any underlying causes for absence, including working with external agencies where necessary.

The school offers a stimulating and diverse range of enrichment opportunities as part of its 'hinterland curriculum'. These experiences contribute very positively to pupils' personal, social, and spiritual development.

For instance, pupils explore etiquette and manners through social dining experiences. Leadership roles such as well-being ambassadors, pupil managers and the school council enable pupils to take on meaningful responsibilities.

The school is very well led and managed.

High standards are the norm. The leadership's commitment to doing 'what can make the biggest difference to pupils' is realised in the school's aspirational academic curriculum and rich personal development offer. Through its strong oversight, the trust helps and challenges the school to achieve and sustain excellence.

Staff are happy and proud to work here. They appreciate the school's support for their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.