Weston All Saints CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this inclusive and welcoming school. They describe the school as 'one big family'.

Pupils understand how the school's values help them to be kind, ready to learn and accepting of others.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils understand the school rules and follow them well.

They are polite and courteous, greeting visitors with a smile. This starts in the early years, where children settle to new routines and follow instructions well. While many parents recognise and praise the school's work, some raised concerns about pupils' behaviour.

Inspectors saw pupils behaving well during this inspection. The... school's records demonstrate the positive impact of its actions on improving behaviour over time.

Pupils feel safe.

They value the positive relationships they have with staff. Adults help pupils to understand and manage their emotions. Pupils say that staff listen to them and are there for them if they need to share any worries.

Pupils enjoy the range of clubs on offer, such as football, cross-country and art. They value the opportunities they have to become members of the school council and the equalities team. They say these roles make them feel proud and help to improve the school.

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

The school has high expectations for all pupils. With the support of the trust, the new headteacher has brought stability to the school following a period of turbulence in leadership and staffing. An ambitious curriculum has been designed that considers what pupils need to know and when they need to know it.

In subjects where published outcomes are below national expectations, the school has taken effective action to strengthen the curriculum. For example, it has made sure that staff implement the reading curriculum consistently across the school.

Reading is prioritised.

Pupils read a range of texts with increasing fluency and accuracy. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. They learn and remember new sounds well.

Staff benefit from the training they receive to teach phonics effectively. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them to catch up quickly.

The school's mathematics curriculum is designed and sequenced well.

This starts in the early years. Teachers develop children's mathematical understanding effectively. They explain new concepts clearly and model mathematical vocabulary well.

As a result, children confidently understand number patterns.

Pupils learn well in most wider curriculum subjects. In physical education (PE), for example, teachers check to find out how well pupils understand what they are learning.

Pupils respond well to this. They use their understanding of space and ball control when playing games such as tag-rugby. However, in some areas of the curriculum, this is not the case.

While the school has designed the curriculum well, its implementation is at an early stage in some subjects. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge well enough as they move through the school. Some pupils struggle to talk in detail about what they have learned before.

Teachers do not routinely check what pupils know well enough before moving on to new learning. This hampers the progress that some pupils make.

The school is ambitious for what all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can achieve.

Staff know the pupils well. They identify their needs accurately. The school works closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the help they need.

As a result, most pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers.

Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils play well with one another during social times.

They enjoy the range of activities on offer to them during these times. Children in the early years are eager to learn and behave well. They get off to a successful start because of this.

The school's values underpin the approach to pupils' personal development. Pupils talk confidently about protected characteristics and why it is important to treat everyone equally. They have a good understanding of fundamental British values such as democracy.

Pupils develop their character by taking part in residential visits and supporting a local retirement home. This enables them to build their resilience and help others in their community.

Trustees and local governors have an accurate view of the school's strengths and priorities for improvement.

They provide appropriate support and challenge to school leaders. They ask the right questions to check on the quality of pupils' education. Staff are proud to work at the school.

They value the support they receive, particularly with regards to their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's work to develop the curriculum in some foundation subjects is new.

Consequently, learning does not yet consistently build on what pupils have previously learned. The trust needs to ensure that all subjects are implemented effectively so that pupils know and remember more in every subject. ? In some subjects, teachers do not check well enough what pupils know and remember.

Subsequent learning does not take into account pupils' prior knowledge. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge well over time and this slows the progress they make across the curriculum. The trust needs to ensure that teachers check what pupils know and remember across all subjects and use this to inform future learning.