Skelton School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Skelton's mission to 'develop confident, capable learners in a caring community' is embedded across the school. All staff are dedicated to ensuring that every pupil thrives in both their academic achievement and personal development.

Inspired by the adults around them, pupils develop a love of learning from a young age and this continues throughout their time at school. As a result, all pupils, including those eligible for pupil premium, have outstanding achievement. Outstanding teaching stimulates and supports pupils.

Highly skilled and committed teachers, teaching assistants and visiting specialists work extremely well together... to plan lessons that enthuse pupils. There are a wealth of opportunities both in school and beyond which stretches pupils' imaginations and broadens their horizons. This has a very positive impact on their motivation to learn.

The rate of pupils' learning is meticulously and regularly checked. Teachers are highly skilled in providing support when the pace of learning is not swift enough. Pupils' behaviour and safety are often exemplary.

Their behaviour is impeccable in lessons, around the school, in the local community and during educational visits. The school is at the heart of village life. Pupils enthusiastically contribute to the school and wider community through the school council.

They are proactive in organising events to raise funds for those less fortunate than themselves. Staff work really well as a team and together, with members of the governing body, volunteers and visitors they create an exceptional environment in which to learn. This contributes to pupils' extremely good preparation for the next stage in their education.

Leadership and management, including the governing body, are outstanding. The quality of teaching is thoroughly checked and this has led to continuous improvement in pupils' achievement across all subjects over a sustained period. The headteacher acknowledges the benefits of increasing the opportunities for staff to observe outstanding teaching in other schools.

This is to work towards a higher proportion of outstanding teaching and ensure the highest possible outcomes for all pupils.

Information about this school

This is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage.

The proportion of pupils supported through school action is well below the national average as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided for children in local authority care, those from services families and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is below average. The school meets the government's current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

The school works with James Rennie Special School. This delivers alternative education to a few children and prepares them for a smooth transition to full-time education at the special school in September 2013. The school holds a number of awards including: Healthy School Status, Eco-Bronze, Fair Trade and Sing-Up Silver awards.

A member of staff is an associate for the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics and also a member of the National Curriculum Assessments Reference Group. The school has a breakfast club. A nursery and after-school clubs are held on the school site but are managed independently and subject to a separate inspection by Ofsted.

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