All Saints Church of England (VC) Primary School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small school with a big heart.

Relationships in school are warm and caring. As a result, pupils feel safe. They know that staff will respond if they ask for help.

Pupils behave well. They talk proudly about their school.

The quality of education is not yet good enough.

Leaders want the best for pupils and their actions are beginning to help pupils make better progress. However, they know there is more to do to make sure that pupils learn really well.

Pupils understand about the different types of bullying and say that bullying rarely happens.

Individual differences are accepted, and pupils are kind and tolerant with their ...friends.

Pupils are proud to take on extra responsibilities. Older pupils are proud to be school councillors and 'reading cabin supervisors'.

They know that these are important roles. Pupils enjoy taking part in competitive sports. They understand the need to keep healthy and appreciated a recent visit to watch the England women's football team.

They talk with enthusiasm about their village and local landmarks like Stafford castle.

Pupils are confident readers who value the books they get to read. As one pupil said, 'Reading something is better than watching it, you feel like you're actually there.'



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

Since the previous inspection, the new leadership team has made improvements. Leaders have made sure that everyone shares the highest expectations for pupils' behaviour. As a result, pupils behave well, and learning is rarely disrupted.

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They are confident that staff will help them to sort out any disagreements they have. Pupils are polite and courteous.

Leaders have started work to improve the quality of education. They have developed a suitably broad and balanced curriculum. Leaders have made it clear what the end points are and have set out which important milestones need to be taught.

However, in some subjects, curriculum planning does not set out in enough detail the small steps that must be taught. Leaders have not checked how well teachers are implementing curriculum planning across the school, and staff have not yet received the training they need to help them deliver some aspects of the curriculum well. This is partly due to the pandemic.

The combination of these factors means that some pupils do not make the progress they should. This impacts disproportionally on some pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders have made reading a priority.

There is a well-planned approach to the teaching of early reading. A new system has recently been introduced which makes clear what sounds to teach and when to teach them. This has helped to strengthen staff's confidence and expertise to deliver the phonics curriculum well.

Pupils start learning to read in Reception, and in Nursery if they are ready. They read books that help them to practise the sounds they are learning. Effective support is put into place for those who need it.

This means pupils catch up quickly.

Children in the early years settle quickly because there are clear routines and expectations. They behave well and enjoy playing together in the well-planned early years spaces.

Staff are caring and supportive. They carefully plan activities which help children to learn well. Children talk about their learning and use the key vocabulary that they have learned, for example 'waterproof whales' when investigating the world.

They practise their early counting skills well.

Leaders prepare pupils for the world they live in through assemblies and the PSHE curriculum. Pupils openly discuss their different kinds of families and say that anyone would be welcome in this school.

Pupils talk confidently about the environment and the ways they can support 'saving the planet'. They enjoy choir practice and learning to play instruments.

Staff are proud to work at All Saints (VC) primary school.

They feel valued and well supported by leaders and governors. Parents appreciate the work the school does. One parent, typical of many, said, 'Fantastic school with highly dedicated staff'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know the pupils and their families well. They ensure that staff are well trained.

Weekly briefings and regular quizzes help ensure that staff know how to keep pupils safe. There are effective policies and procedures in place which staff follow if they have concerns. Leaders work with other agencies if needed to provide the right support.

Pupils say they feel safe in school. They say teachers teach them how to stay safe. They know that their teachers will always help them if they need it.

They understand how to stay safe when out and about in the community and online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum planning does not set out in enough detail the small steps which must be taught and in which order, so staff do not always know the key learning points that pupils need to learn. This means that pupils do not build on their previous knowledge to achieve success in learning.

Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the key knowledge they want pupils to know and when to teach it. ? The implementation of the curriculum is not consistently strong across the school. Staff, including curriculum leaders, have not yet received the training they need to help them to plan and deliver some aspects of the curriculum well or to support their colleagues to do so.

This is partly due to the pandemic. It means that some pupils do not make as much progress as they could. Leaders should ensure that all staff are well trained and supported to deliver the curriculum well.