Long Marston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy in this nurturing school.

Their behaviour is good. Pupils say they feel safe and well cared for. In lessons and at social times, pupils are friendly and polite.

Parents are very supportive and feedback from parents is positive. One parent said, 'it's a special place full of love, care and energy for learning'.

Across the school, curriculum plans are well sequenced.

In the youngest class, these plans are successfully implemented, and children achieve well. Some staff do not always demonstrate good subject knowledge. Sometimes, they do not assess pupils' skills and knowledge well enough.

This means pupils do not achieve a...s well as they should.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is new. Pupils' knowledge in this subject is limited in some areas.

For example, pupils have had few opportunities to study diversity or to explore global issues.

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

The school has faced a challenging time with a high staff turnover and turbulence in leadership. These changes have affected the quality of education.

The newly appointed executive headteacher and assistant headteacher are a strong team. They are determined to make improvements.

Leaders have ensured that reading has a high priority across the school.

The library has been improved. There is now a good range of fiction and non-fiction books. Phonics is taught daily from Reception class.

Most pupils read from books that match the sounds they are learning. New reading assessments have been introduced. Staff are supported to use these assessments to adapt their teaching, so pupils can develop their fluency and comprehension skills.

Story times help pupils to develop a love of reading.

Curriculum plans are in place for all subjects. They show the knowledge and skills that should be taught across the school.

Teachers do not consistently deliver these plans well. In maths, resources are sometimes poorly selected. Some staff have not received sufficient training.

At times, their subject knowledge is not strong enough to enable them to deliver the curriculum effectively. Teachers do not always check what pupils have learned well enough. This means that pupils do not have enough guidance to help them learn as well as they should.

This slows the learning for some pupils. Pupils cannot easily recall their learning. Many pupils find it difficult to connect new learning to what they already know.

Leaders responsible for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those pupils who attend school on a flexible arrangement, liaise closely with staff and parents to understand pupils' needs. This additional understanding of the wider context of each pupil is beginning to help leaders to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to help individual pupils to succeed.

Teachers help pupils to learn how to stay physically and emotionally healthy.

This support has been ongoing throughout the covid-19 pandemic. Pupils support charities and take part in events within the local community. They enjoy taking on areas of responsibilities for example as school parliament representatives.

These pupils have enjoyed planning an enrichment day to celebrate the new federation. The PSHE curriculum is newly introduced. Some pupils do not have a deep enough understanding of cultural differences or fundamental British values.

This is an area that the school has identified as a priority.

The early years leader has worked quickly to improve the curriculum. Some teachers have a strong understanding of how young children develop.

Together, they have created an environment that supports children in feeling safe and becoming independent. Staff model language well. They encourage children to develop and extend their vocabulary.

Children play and learn happily together. Children get off to a good start in the early years.

Leaders across the very new federation are working successfully together.

The newly-formed governing body share leaders' ambitions for the school. Some leaders have devised plans for improvement. Other leaders, for example the mathematics leader, have not had a chance to check how things are going in their subjects.

These new leaders have not had sufficient opportunity to develop staff expertise.

Leaders place a high priority on supporting staff and developing a united team. They have coped effectively to manage staff absences during the on-going covid-19 pandemic.

Staff feel that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being. Staff are excited about changes to the school and feel well supported by leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in school. Staff have a clear understanding of what to do, and what to be aware of, to ensure that children are kept safe. Training programmes and regular updates are a part of school life.

These ensure that staff remain vigilant.

During the inspection, some aspects of the school's system for recording safeguarding incidents needed to be updated. These were all completed before the end of the inspection.

Staff talk with confidence about work they do to keep pupils safe both online and offline.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff do not have the required knowledge or skills in the subjects that they teach. They do not use assessments effectively to adapt the teaching.

This has slowed learning. Staff require training to build their expertise and to help them use assessments effectively. Leaders must ensure staff receive the development they need so that they can quickly help pupils to remember more and achieve well.

• Leadership across the federation is new. Many leaders have not had a chance to check if their subject is implemented consistently well throughout school. Other leaders have made plans for improvements but have not had time to implement these plans.

New leaders, at all levels, need time and resources to support them in their role to make checks and to action the improvements they have planned. Leaders must ensure strengthened, distributed leadership will support rapid improvements in the teaching of the curriculum. ? The PSHE curriculum is new.

Leaders know that pupils have had few opportunities to study diversity effectively or to explore global issues. Pupils do not have a deep enough understanding of cultural difference of fundamental British values. Leaders must ensure the curriculum is enriched to fully prepare pupils for life in modern Britain and support them in becoming global citizens.