Whiteparish All Saints Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn a full curriculum, but they are not studying subjects to a sufficient depth.

Too much learning is not organised in a way that helps pupils to know more and remember more. Staff expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low.

Most pupils behave well in lessons and at breaktimes.

On the few occasions that pupils disrupt learning, there are no established routines about how to deal with this. As a result, problems continue.

Pupils are happy at school and kept safe.

They have many opportunities beyond the school day to play sports, sing in the choir and play musical instruments. Pupils go on many trips associated with their lea...rning, such as visiting zoos. There are links with local universities and speakers come and talk with pupils on topics such as engineering.

The school is important within the community. Parents, carers, staff and governors value the school and want to make pupils' time as good as possible. Pupils have strong links with the local church.

The vicar comes into school regularly to lead worship. There is a monthly toddler meeting at the church which children from Reception attend.

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

The new headteacher arrived at the school in January 2020.

She has a very clear idea of how to make the school better. Staff are supportive of her ideas and keen to work with her to improve pupils' understanding of the curriculum.

Governors have not held leaders to account about the decline in standards over time, especially in key stage 1.

They have accepted actions without challenging the lack of impact. Leaders, including governors, have not monitored curriculum plans effectively and so there has not been an improvement in pupils' learning of the curriculum.

The curriculum covers topics that engage pupils' interests.

Although the plans ensure that pupils are taught the national curriculum, they do not focus on how pupils build on what they have learned before. Consequently, pupils find it very hard to make links between their learning and use their knowledge to develop ideas further. Pupils' experiences of the curriculum mean they lack the vocabulary and ability to articulate what they are learning and why.

From Reception to Year 6, teaching is often not specific. Pupils find themselves muddled about what they are learning. This leads to misunderstandings that stop pupils developing their knowledge securely.

Teachers' expectations are not high enough. For example, teachers tell pupils what non-negotiables are in their work, such as having capital letters in the right places. However, when pupils fail to abide by the rules, teachers are too accepting of this.

As a result, much work is poorly presented and incomplete.

Teachers have not had enough training on the wide range of subjects in the curriculum. Subject knowledge in science is weak, so teachers are not able to explain important concepts, such as which materials conduct electricity.

This leaves pupils with gaps in their knowledge.

Pupils learn phonics in a consistent way from Reception to Year 2. There are good links with local nurseries, so children arrive at school with some understanding of letters and sounds.

Pupils have the skills to read fluently by the end of key stage 1. Older pupils, who are fluent readers, can choose their own books to read. They are not guided to consider challenging texts that would enhance their vocabulary.

There are plans to change this. For example, the library is in a larger room and books are being catalogued, but this is in its infancy and has not had any impact as yet.

The most able pupils, of whom there are many, are not challenged through the curriculum offered.

In mathematics, where some consideration has been given to providing different levels of work, pupils are failing to pick the right level to push their learning on. Pupils expressed a desire to be guided more.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive considered support in their learning.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has good relationships with parents and keeps them up to date with the progress their children are making. When pupils with SEND have behavioural problems, skilled teaching assistants support them well. However, this is less effective when pupils are without one-to-one support.

The headteacher is changing the behaviour policy so that teachers are clearer about strategies to adopt.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Suitable checks are undertaken on staff, visitors and recruitment.

Leaders train staff in how to keep pupils safe from abuse, sexual exploitation, and the influences of radicalisation and extremism. Staff work sensitively with parents and external agencies to monitor and support the more vulnerable pupils.

The site is secure and there are regular health and safety checks of the site by governors.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Governors are very committed to the school and give of their time willingly. However, they have failed to stem the decline in standards or oversee the changes to curriculum plans effectively. Governors must hold leaders to account and ensure that pupils are successful in their learning as they progress through the school.

. Leaders have taken time to plan a curriculum that embraces every subject in the national curriculum. However, they have not considered the sequencing of learning within subjects efficiently, so pupils, too often, learn disconnected facts.

There is an urgent need to redesign the curriculum so that it is ambitious, challenging and builds on pupils' prior learning. In this way, pupils will be able to know more and remember more. .

Teachers are keen to improve their practice and learn more about teaching the wider curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that teachers understand what pupils can achieve and why expectations are currently too low. In addition, teachers need to receive training when their subject knowledge is weak so they can implement the curriculum more effectively.

. Pupils, especially the most able, are not challenged through the curriculum and they do not have the skills and vocabulary to explain their learning. Pupils must have more opportunities to develop a vocabulary that enables them to articulate their learning proficiently.