Egton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Egton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Egton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a school where the values of trust, friendship and respect are lived out by all. The school has a distinctive family ethos. Adults know the pupils well.

They understand the needs and backgrounds of individual pupils. Because of this, pupils are happy and safe. Pupils feel cared for in this school and, in turn, they take care of each other.

The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve academically and for their personal development. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the ...next stage of their education and for life beyond school.

Pupils behave well in lessons and throughout school.

They are polite and courteous. Pupils have strong relationships with adults. Positive behaviour and relationships are founded on a culture of mutual respect.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well.

The majority of pupils access after-school activities through 'Wednesday Club'. This includes disadvantaged pupils.

Activities include dance, cookery, gardening and sports. These opportunities help pupils to widen their experience and develop their interests and talents. Pupils also enjoy opportunities to be involved in sporting competitions with other schools.

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

The school has developed a broad and balanced curriculum. The curriculum has undergone significant adaptations over recent years to ensure coherently planned and sequenced content for each subject. It is designed to give pupils the most important knowledge that they need to learn.

Teachers feel confident and are well prepared to teach the curriculum. In lessons, teachers intelligently meet the needs of mixed-age classes. For example, in mathematics, teachers skilfully alternate their focus between year groups to ensure pupils receive age-appropriate learning while maintaining the engagement of all pupils.

Teachers make links with previous learning to help secure pupils' knowledge. For example, pupils called upon their knowledge of Ancient Egypt when making links with sacrificial rites in other civilisations and faiths. Teachers use questioning deftly to check pupils' learning and to identify gaps in knowledge.

The school achieves the same ambitious outcomes for all pupils, including those with SEND.

Reading is a high priority. The school recognises how important it is to get pupils reading successfully and as soon as possible.

The school's chosen scheme for the teaching of reading is used consistently by staff who are well trained. The school has recently invested in high-quality texts to ensure that pupils have a wide choice of books to enjoy. Pupils talked enthusiastically about their visit to a bookshop in Whitby where they helped choose books for their school.

The pupil library monitors are passionate advocates for reading. They help foster a love of reading by sharing books with younger pupils.

Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour, and pupils are keen to meet these expectations.

They respond to the well-established routines. The behaviour policy is applied consistently, and pupils feel that everybody is treated fairly.

In planning the personal development curriculum, the school has carefully considered the backgrounds and circumstances of the pupils.

They want pupils to have a wide range of experiences that extend beyond their community and locality. Leaders' ambition is that pupils will have high self-esteem and confidence and be resilient. These ambitions are realised.

Through the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum, pupils learn about difference and diversity. They are tolerant and respectful of differences between people. While pupils learn about important values, the PSHE programme does not afford pupils sufficient opportunities to learn about some aspects of fundamental British values in sufficient depth.

For example, pupils do not have a sound understanding of democracy and what it means to live in a democratic society.

Leaders and governors have a strong and clear vision for the school, its pupils, their families and the community. Much of this vision is founded on strong Christian values.

This is enhanced by the strong link with the diocese. The school is very outward-facing and benefits from many collaborations with similar schools. The advantages that come from the federation with a similar school are maximised.

Leaders and governors are mindful of ensuring that the well-being of staff is a priority. Staff speak highly of how well they are looked after and how their professional development is a priority. Governors are skilled and committed.

They understand their roles well and ensure that they visit the school to check the actions of leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The PSHE programme does not cover aspects of British values in sufficient depth.

As a result, some pupils do not have an age-appropriate understanding of the importance of these values in modern British society. The school should ensure that its PSHE curriculum deepens pupils' knowledge and understanding of all aspects of British values.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2013.