Horton St Michael’s CofE First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

The exceptional enthusiasm, drive and vision of the headteacher, well supported by staff and an outstanding governing body inspire pupils to thrive in all aspects of their academic and personal development. Leaders ensure that teaching and learning are outstanding across the school. Teachers demonstrate excellent subject knowledge and promote learning exceptionally well and consistently.

Pupils are treated as individuals and, as a result, all pupils, including those eligible for the pupil premium and those with special educational needs, achieve well and are extremely well-prepared for the next stage of their education. Standards... at the end of Key Stage 1 and by Year 4, when pupils leave for middle school, are above those usually found in reading, writing and mathematics. High-quality marking celebrates pupils' achievements and ensures that all pupils know what they need to do next in order to improve.

Support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is excellent. Pupils' exemplary behaviour contributes strongly to the outstanding quality of learning in lessons. Pupils say they feel safe in the school.

They are aware of different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying, how to avoid it and what to do should it occur. From an early age, pupils enjoy coming to school and this shows in their eagerness to learn and their improving attendance rates. Rigorous assessment and tracking systems ensure the progress of individual pupils in reading, writing and mathematics is exceptionally well monitored.

However, the school does not formally analyse pupils' progress in other subjects Staff are caring and supportive, and, with governing body members, volunteers, and visitors to the school, they create an exceptional place for learning. The headteacher is passionate about ensuring that all pupils do as well as they possibly can and sets very high expectations for all staff. Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding.

They develop into confident, articulate and reflective individuals who are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Information about this school

The school is a very small, rural school serving the village of Horton and a wide area around it. The overwhelming majority of pupils are of white British heritage and no pupils speak English as an additional language.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils eligible for free school meals and other specific groups) is below the national average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below the national average. However, the proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above the national average and particularly high in some year groups.

The school has recently entered into a collaboration arrangement with another local small primary school, Castle Primary at Mow Cop. The headteacher of St. Michael's has become the executive headteacher of both schools although the two governing bodies remain separate.