Broadhembury Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Achievement is good.

Most pupils make better than expected progress from their starting points. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan well to meet the needs of the different ages and abilities of pupils in their classes.

Pupils behave well in lessons and the care shown by older pupils for younger ones is often excellent. As a result, pupils say that they feel very safe. The inspirational leadership of the experienced headteacher has knitted together an effective team which has provided significant impetus to improvement in teaching and pupil achievement.

The experience of members of the governing body has helped in provi...ding clear direction and stability during a period of change in staff. This has contributed to attainment showing a three-year rising trend of improvement, and substantial improvement has been made since the last inspection in all the school's required areas. It is not yet an outstanding school because : In some lessons, teachers do not provide enough time for pupils to use their own resourcefulness in working independently.

The school does not use the opportunities offered by its locality, and its local community, to the fullest extent to enhance the curriculum. The school does not offer a wide enough range of extra-curricular opportunities through which pupils can have the opportunity to extend their learning.

Information about this school

The school is a much smaller than average-sized school of its type.

The proportion of pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs, either at school action plus, or who have a statement of special educational needs, is above average. Almost all pupils are of White British origin. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average.

The school meets the floor standards, which are the minimum standards for attainment and progress expected by the government. The school forms part of a federation with another small primary school. Both schools share an executive headteacher who works in each school on a three-day rolling programme.

Prior to federating, the two schools had been closely linked through a management partnership, established in September 2011. The headteacher took up her position in September 2011 and all three class teachers have been appointed within the last 12 months. A new federation governing body was established in September 2012.