St Andrew’s CofE VA Primary School, Lopham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Standards of work are rising across the school and pupils achieve well. This is so particularly in reading and mathematics. Pupils are articulate and expressive in their speech and are good at giving reasons for their ideas and their thinking.

Pupils behave well in and around the school and develop into responsible and thoughtful youngsters by the age of 11. They say they are 'like a family'. In lessons, pupils often become totally engrossed in their work.

Teaching has improved and is good. Teachers provide interesting work, which involves pupils actively and which they enjoy. In lessons, teachers give pupils good opportunities ...to work things out for themselves.

This helps them to develop their initiative and self-confidence. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught well and, consequently, make good progress. They enjoy the practical activities available both indoors and outside.

The headteacher sets a positive tone and high expectations of pupils' achievements. Teaching is regularly checked and effective support provided for improvement. Governors are supportive, but also rigorously hold the school to account for its performance.

The school has made significant progress since its last inspection and has the capacity to improve even more. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Pupils' standards in writing lag a little behind those in their reading and mathematics. Teachers do not always set work that is at just the right level for all pupils.

Written feedback to pupils, when their books are marked, does not identify clearly enough what they need to do to improve their work.

Information about this school

The school is much smaller than the average primary school. Nearly all pupils are White British and speak English as their first language.

A very small proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium. This is additional funding based on the number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those in the care of the local authority and those from families where a parent is in the armed services. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported by school action is above average, as is the proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of educational needs.

Both latter proportions have come down from being well-above average last year. Some pupils have emotional and behavioural needs. A few pupils join or leave the school part-way through their primary education and, given the small number of pupils in the school, this can appear to be high proportionally.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in the same class as pupils in Years 1 and 2. At the time of the last inspection there was only one Key Stage 2 class.

Now, there are two classes, a Year 3 and 4 class and a Year 5 and 6 class. These run during the mornings and over one afternoon. For the other four afternoons, pupils in Years 3 to 6 are taught in one class.

The school is in a partnership with another voluntary-aided school locally. Both schools share the same headteacher, who took up the joint post about 18 months ago, and subject leaders. The schools have separate governing bodies.