Allington with Sedgebrook Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely positive about the deal they get at this school.

The many we met during the inspection told us how much they enjoy coming here each morning. They feel very safe in school, and most cannot remember any bullying ever happening. They say that, on the very rare occasions someone is unkind, staff sort it out immediately.

Pupils describe Allington as 'one big family'.

Pupils get a well-rounded education that is nothing less than good. Teachers show them how to read well from an early age.

Pupils learn to write with creativity and to calculate with accuracy. The curriculum provides pupils with a range of experiences. Pupils learn to bea...t drums together.

There are many opportunities to take part in sporting competitions. Experts bring anacondas and hedgehogs into classrooms to make science learning come alive. The headteacher and her staff put pupils first and work to unlock the potential in each one.

There is a strong focus on developing pupils' character. Pupils raise money for The Grantham Passage and other charities. They help create a woodland in the village sports ground.

Pupils' behaviour is delightful. Their excellent attitude to their work is matched by their politeness and respect for others.

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

The headteacher leads this school with skill, sincerity and integrity.

She is highly respected by parents, pupils and her staff. Her ambitions for the future of every pupil and her determination are absolute.

Staff work together as a productive, mutually supportive team, in a consistent way.

They receive good support and professional development to improve their skills.

The good quality of education children receive begins in the early years. Kind staff and clear routines mean that children settle in quickly.

Children learn the names of shapes and count the fruit they eat each day. They make model houses from sticks and use gloves when moving bricks. They write sentences such as 'The wolf was sneaking behind the cows.'

Well-trained staff teach children phonics each day. Weaker readers have books that give them confidence to catch up. Pupils become fluent readers.

Teachers promote a love of reading in pupils. Pupils in Year 5 told us how they like to read myths and legends and stories with dilemmas. Pupils read classic fiction about Narnia and hear African tales such as 'Anansi the spider'.

The wide curriculum builds pupils' skills in, for example, physical education and science. Pupils learn and remember work on earth and space. We saw pupils learning how to lunge with a badminton racket, then building their core strength by practising sit-ups.

Pupils of all groups achieve well across different subjects because teachers meet their needs. When needed, staff adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders have been working to adjust their planning for teaching every subject.

They want to ensure that each one builds up pupils' knowledge and skills over time in an effective way. Although most subject plans are complete, the revised geography curriculum is not fully embedded. Leaders are continuing to improve plans for history and computing.

Staff help pupils to be independent self-managers. As they grow, they are expected to organise their own resources and set themselves goals. They debate questions, such as whether 'drinking and driving' in an emergency can ever be justified.

They can explain why British values are important. They learn about other cultures, including the indigenous people of the rainforest.

The very large number of clubs, including book club, construction and magical maths, are open to pupils on an equal basis.

Many say that one of the best things is the huge number of sporting opportunities open to them. The sports ambassadors explain how pupils represent the region in swimming. Pupils have been the Small School Athletics Champions for three years.

Many go on to represent their next school and their county in sports.

The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are exceptional. From the early years on, children pay attention, follow instructions and try their hardest.

Teachers expect pupils to put their hands up to answer questions. Large numbers do, because they are so keen to explain what they think. There are respectful relationships and high standards throughout the school.

Pupils complete work neatly. Pupils' outstanding attitudes support their readiness for secondary school. Pupils told us how staff set an excellent example to them.

It is no surprise that parents' views of the school are highly positive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The headteacher ensures that all staff are clear about their responsibilities.

They know they must do all they can to protect every pupil. They are well trained and can recognise quickly the signs that a pupil may be being harmed. Staff communicate well, and continually, to minimise the risk to a pupil or their sibling.

School records show that the headteacher notes any safeguarding concerns that teachers raise. These records contain clear timelines of the brisk action taken as a result of information received. Parents we spoke with unanimously feel that the school keeps their children safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The sequencing of the curriculum is not precise enough in history and computing. Although leaders have written detailed plans for other subjects, showing how pupils' knowledge builds up systematically over time, they have not yet completed planning in the same depth for these. Leaders should ensure that, in all subjects, teachers plan work that builds explicitly on what pupils already know and that current lessons prepare them for more complex tasks.

. Although the geography curriculum has been planned with skill, its implementation is recent. Leaders should make sure that all subjects are securely and consistently embedded across the school and check that pupils are remembering over time the knowledge that leaders intend them to.