Arnside National CofE School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that it is easy for them to make friends at the school.

Everyone can get on with their work because pupils' behaviour is good. Pupils said that bullying, including that online, is unacceptable. They praised the work of the headteacher in solving any issues of poor behaviour or bullying.

Classrooms are calm and pupils are sensible and polite. Pupils see their work displayed attractively by staff on walls throughout the school.

Pupils are happy and feel safe.

They are keen learners. They enjoy their lessons and wider activities. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn... from activities such as coding, cooking, lacrosse and martial arts.

Pupils study topics that are interesting and enjoyable. They learn much about their local area. Even so, pupils do not have the chance to achieve as well as they should across the curriculum.

This is because leaders have not thought carefully enough about how to plan learning in some subjects.

Children and pupils develop their independence by, for example, spending nights away from home. As pupils' confidence and skills grow, they plan and take part in a camping trip in Year 5.

Then, in Year 6, they experience a historical and cultural trip to London.

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

Leaders and staff teach pupils about the services, characteristics and people of the local community. Pupils learn to care for the area where they live and go to school.

Leaders ensure that pupils also develop a wider understanding of life in modern Britain. For example, staff teach pupils about the people and beliefs in Islam.

In the early years and key stage 1, children and pupils develop strong skills in their physical education.

They also learn to read, write and understand mathematics well. For instance, pupils in Year 1 become skilful writers, recording their knowledge of how to use the internet sensibly. The effective support from staff, parents, carers and volunteers means that children in Reception and pupils in key stage 1 learn to read well.

This includes disadvantaged pupils. Staff match the books that pupils take home to the letter sounds and words that they know. In most classes at the school, teachers select and plan their use of story books carefully.

However, teachers plan the use of story books less well in the Nursery class.

Pupils make average progress in their reading in key stage 2. Pupils told me that they value their teachers' help in improving their reading skills.

Pupils remember important aspects of information books, such as the purpose of an index. They understand the features of different types of books, such as an autobiography and a biography. Staff try to develop pupils' love of reading.

Staff read to pupils often. They take children and pupils to the local public library and book bus to loan books.However, the school library and the book areas in some classrooms, including in the Nursery, should be better resourced, organised and presented.

Leaders, governors and trustees recognise that in recent years pupils' achievement in mathematics in key stage 2 has not been good enough. Leaders and staff have started to improve the mathematics curriculum. Their actions are improving pupils' learning of mathematics in key stage 2, but it is too soon to see the impact on pupils' achievement.

Children in the early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 learn successfully in some subjects in the curriculum. They know and remember some essential information. However, the headteacher does not ensure that leaders plan all subjects equally well.

In some subjects, leaders do not identify enough of the knowledge, including the vocabulary, that children and pupils will learn. Sometimes, leaders do not make certain that teachers plan pupils' learning in a logical order. Planning in some subjects does not link pupils' past learning to future learning well enough.

This means that children and pupils are not learning as successfully as they should in some of the curriculum. The headteacher does not make sure that leaders and staff have up-to-date knowledge about the curriculum in these subjects. Trustees and governors do not make certain that parents have enough information about the school's curriculum through the school website.

Despite the weaknesses in the curriculum, pupils with SEND learn well. This is because of the knowledgeable and skilful leadership of the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), as well as staff's targeted support for individual pupils.

Trustees, governors, leaders, staff and pupils treat other people at the school with respect.

However, governors and trustees need to better understand their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, so they can fully check the work of the school. They should also ensure that all required information about the school is published on the school website.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Trustees and governors double-check that the school keeps children and pupils properly safeguarded. Leaders and staff are vigilant. They ensure that the school premises are secure.

The headteacher makes certain that staff have up-to-date knowledge about the potential safeguarding risks to pupils, such as county lines and neglect. Staff listen to what pupils say about their feelings and experiences. Leaders and staff fully review information about individual pupils to consider how best to protect them from harm.

Staff make sure that pupils learn to keep themselves safe, including when they use the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders do not plan some of the curriculum fully enough to identify the knowledge, including the vocabulary, that children and pupils will learn. These weaknesses mean pupils do not achieve as well as they can.

Trustees, governors and leaders should make certain that the content of every subject at least matches the scope and ambition of the national curriculum. Leaders should identify precisely what actions they will take to improve the curriculum where subjects are less well developed. This will ensure that children and pupils develop all the essential knowledge, including the vocabulary, that they need.

. Trustees and governors should make sure that parents are better informed about the school's curriculum and published outcomes of pupils' achievement through the school website. .

The school library and the provision of books in most classes is underdeveloped. This means that some children's and pupils' access to high-quality fiction, non-fiction and poetry books is limited. Trustees, governors and leaders should make certain that staff present all children and pupils with a wide range of books in enticing, engaging and accessible ways.