Upton Noble CofE VC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The strong collaborative leadership of the interim executive headteacher and the head of school has brought significant improvement this year.

Together, with good support from knowledgeable, skilled governors, they have built on the positive work of the previous executive headteacher. As a team, leaders have responded to specialist support from the local authority to develop consistently good leadership, teaching and pupils' achievement. Some middle leaders are new to their responsibilities.

They have yet to have a full impact across the school in raising standards. Excellent relationships between adults and pupils and between the pupils ...themselves underpin the pupils' good behaviour and often exemplary attitudes to learning. All those associated with the school appreciate the way Christian values and a welcoming community atmosphere promote pupils' learning.

Safeguarding procedures are meticulously checked and implemented. Consequently, pupils feel safe, enjoy school and almost all attend well. The quality of teaching has improved significantly and is more consistent than at the time of the previous inspection.

Good teaching ensures that pupils learn well and that standards continue to rise across the school. Most pupils, including the most able, disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make strong progress across a wide, stimulating curriculum. However, teaching does not consistently extend the writing and mathematical skills of lower attaining pupils.

Teachers are working effectively to engender a love of reading in the pupils. This, with sustained strong teaching of phonics and stimulating topics, is promoting pupils' good progress in reading, especially by the most able. The early years pre-school and Reception classes are well led and teaching and learning are effective.

As a result, children are now much better prepared for learning in Year 1 than previously.

Information about this school

Upton Noble C of E VC Primary School is part of a hard federation with Bruton Primary school. There is one governing body across the two schools.

The interim executive headteacher, whose responsibility covers both schools, has been in post since January 2019. Her predecessor executive headteacher left in December 2018. Governors have appointed a new executive headteacher to take up the permanent role in September 2019.

There is a full-time head of school. The school is broadly average in size. The majority of the pupils are from White British backgrounds.

The percentage of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than the national level. The percentage of pupils with SEND is below average. The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is in line with national average, but exceeds this in some year groups.

The proportion of pupils who join the school other than at the normal time is above that found nationally. Children experience early years provision part-time in a pre-school group and full-time in a Reception class. The governing body manages an after-school club.