Pamphill Church of England First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pamphill is an inclusive and welcoming school. Pupils embrace the values of 'love' and 'courage'. The caring relationships between members of the school community mean that pupils feel safe and happy.

Parents describe Pamphill as a school that encourages their children to 'reach for the stars'. The school has high aspirations for pupils. It has worked hard to develop a curriculum to help pupils achieve well, and they do.

Most pupils behave well. The school is working on commonly understood expectations of behaviour at all times of the school day. Children in the early years get off to a strong start.

The school provides an inviting and nurturing environment f...or them to learn in and enjoy.

The school uses its unique location to provide an array of memorable experiences that go beyond the classroom. Pupils work with the National Trust to plant trees, and the school holds an annual strawberry fair.

When learning about the Iron Age, pupils visit Badbury Rings. As a result, pupils develop a rich understanding of their local area. Pupils appreciate the many clubs on offer, including art and gardening.

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

The partnership between the school and the trust has been central to this school's continued development. They have worked together to secure an ambitious curriculum that stems from the early years. The curriculum is well planned.

Teachers know the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn. This has been carefully sequenced and builds on pupils' prior knowledge. There is a seamless transition between curriculum thinking for early years and the rest of the school.

This prepares pupils well for their next stage of learning at Pamphill.

The school ensures that teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well. The trust has provided training for staff to help pupils revisit prior learning and embed new knowledge.

In most cases, teachers check what pupils know and remember. For example, in geography, quizzes help teachers identify gaps in pupils' locational knowledge. These gaps are then addressed.

However, on occasion, there are lower expectations for how pupils should behave. Because of this, opportunities to check for understanding and address gaps can be missed. As a result, some pupils are unable to recall their prior learning.

The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff think carefully about how to help these pupils to learn alongside their peers. Parents speak highly of the support that pupils with SEND receive.

The school is determined for pupils to learn to read quickly and to love reading. Pupils proudly show off their 'I love reading' badges for being recognised as star readers. The school hosts workshops for parents and encourages members of the school community to write their own book reviews.

Phonics teaching begins as soon as children start school. All staff are trained to teach phonics. The school quickly identifies if pupils have fallen behind and it provides the support they need.

In most cases, books are well matched to the sounds that pupils have learned. On occasion, books for those at the early stages of learning to read are pitched too high. As a result, these pupils do not develop the fluency and confidence the school intends.

The school has planned an effective curriculum that surpasses the academic. Staff plan opportunities to teach pupils about different cultures and religions. This helps pupils learn about how others live.

For example, pupils could tell inspectors about Hindu wedding celebrations. Pupils are aware of risk and how to stay safe, including sun safety and being safe online. They recognise themselves as being unique and respect difference.

Most pupils behave well and have positive attitudes towards learning. Pupils know the school rules and expectations. These expectations are not yet realised in all areas of the school, including during some lessons.

As a result, some learning time is lost. The school is taking steps to address this. However, it is early days.

The trust knows the school well. It checks that the school keeps a sharp eye on its priorities. Staff appreciate the training provided by the school and the trust.

They are proud to work here.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• For a minority of pupils at the early stages of learning to read, the books they read are not precisely matched to the sounds they have learned.

This means these pupils do not develop fluency and confidence in reading as well as they could. The trust must ensure that the books all pupils read are well matched to the sounds that pupils have learned. ? On occasion, expectations for how pupils should behave are not consistently high enough across the school.

This leads to a few pupils showing some low-level disruptive behaviours. This has an impact on learning time for pupils. The trust should continue to train all staff so that the expectations for behaviour are applied consistently across the school.

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