Stillington Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in this warm and welcoming school. They enjoy coming to school and attend regularly.

Key stage 2 pupils appreciate the daily well-being check-in. They are unafraid to ask their teachers for help or support.

Pupils feel safe.

They say that bullying is rare and their teachers and parents agree. Pupils are confident if there are any instances of poor behaviour or bullying, leaders will sort it out.

Pupils behave well around school and in lessons.

They are respectful towards adults and each other. Pupils say they enjoy their lessons and the range of activities the school now offers. They told inspectors how much they enjoyed a r...ecent sporting event with other schools in the federation.

Pupils understand the need to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. However, they are unable to link this to key knowledge taught, such as being able to name the components of a healthy diet.

Recently introduced curriculum plans enable pupils to study a range of topics.

In some subjects leaders have not ensured that skills and knowledge are sequenced carefully enough to build on prior learning. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they should across the curriculum.

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

The executive headteacher has a clear and ambitious vision for all pupils.

The recent and significant changes to leadership within the school are positive. Staff and pupils are benefiting from the support and direction provided by leaders from the federation of Foston and Terrington Primary Schools. Leaders are addressing school improvement priorities in an effective and decisive manner.

Teacher knowledge and subject expertise are being strengthened as a result of the joint collaboration provided.

Leaders have recently introduced the established federation curriculum. Plans are closely aligned to the national curriculum.

Close attention is paid to ensure the curriculum is carefully adapted for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and individual pupils in the mixed age classes. Pupils with SEND now learn well. This is because of the knowledgeable and skilled leadership of the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo), as well as the targeted support for individual pupils.

The new approach to the curriculum is beginning to have a positive impact. Pupils can articulate what they have learned in subjects, such as mathematics and science. In these subjects, learning is sequenced and based upon what leaders want pupils to know and be able to do.

Other subjects are not planned equally well. In some subjects, such as geography and history, planning does not link past learning to present learning well enough. The key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils will learn is not explicit.

This means that some pupils are not learning as well as they could in these subjects.

Leaders have introduced a variety of assessment processes to address any emerging gaps in learning. These range from 'real time' feedback in lessons to more standardised tasks.

Assessment is strongest in English and mathematics, where formal assessment is carried out at the end of a unit of work. It is much less developed in other subjects, such as science and geography.

In the early years, children are happy and well cared for.

They learn to read, write and understand mathematics well. Children access activities to develop their gross and fine motor skills in preparation for early writing. There are opportunities, both indoors and outdoors, for children to practise their writing and mathematics in real-life contexts.

For example, when designing and making an insect house, children worked together to write a list of what they would need. This included spelling out the words and counting pieces of equipment.

Reading is a core priority for the school.

The teaching of early reading is now effective. Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to the teaching of phonics. All staff have received necessary training.

Reading and phonics lessons take place daily. Pupils at risk of falling behind are given additional support to catch up. Pupils practise reading using books that are matched to the sounds they know.

In key stage 2, pupils read together and individually. They read in small groups to develop confidence, fluency and accuracy. However, this approach is less effective with a very small number of pupils and they do not achieve as well as they should in reading.

Pupils gain an understanding of British Values through assemblies and work in class. They are clear about the key concepts of tolerance and respect. Pupils have opportunities to develop an understanding of democracy.

For example, pupils take part in elections and can describe a manifesto. Although pupils can identify the major religions, they are less certain when trying to recall associated festivals and celebrations.

Parents have confidence and trust in the new leadership of the school.

They are appreciative of recent improvements and all those who made their views known would recommend the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Responsibilities for safeguarding are taken seriously.

Safeguarding is a priority for staff and governor meetings. Leaders and governors regularly attend local authority training. Staff have up-to-date knowledge about the potential safeguarding risks to pupils, such as county lines and the 'Prevent' duty.

The systems for the recruitment of staff are thorough.

The school's personal, social and health education curriculum ensures that pupils are taught how to stay safe in a range of situations. They learn about online safety and know how to safe online.

Pupils say that they feel safe in school and their parents agree.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The content of the wider curriculum is not as well organised as it needs to be. In some subjects, curriculum plans do not consider the essential key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to be able to know and remember.

Plans do not contain the prior learning that pupils should have acquired and what current learning leads to. Leaders need to identify and sequence the essential knowledge, skills and key vocabulary that pupils should learn at different stages so that they achieve well. ? Leaders have not ensured that teachers make appropriate use of assessment information well enough, to check pupils' understanding and adapt their teaching accordingly in subjects other than English and mathematics.

Leaders should ensure that component knowledge is regularly assessed to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding in order that it is retained. ? Although leaders are clear about their intent for pupils' personal development, pupils are unable to identify key knowledge, leading to gaps in their social and emotional development. Leaders need to establish and implement a detailed programme for pupils' personal development that ensures they acquire a good range of knowledge, skills and understanding over time and prepares them well for the next stage in their education.