All Saints Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

All Saints Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is deeply embedded into its community.

Parents like the 'village school' atmosphere that they consider the school to have, despite its city location. Pupils feel welcomed and well known. They enjoy their learning and appreciate what staff do for them each day.

The school has clear expectations and high ambition for all pupils. It makes sure that the systems used to meet these expectations are simple but effective. This means that they are well understood by everyone.

The school has a purposeful atmosphere and strong shared values. This enab...les everyone to work well together. If pupils need extra help to manage their behaviour, the school ensures that the support provided is useful and meets pupils' individual needs.

Teachers carefully consider what pupils will learn as they move up through the school. Older pupils particularly appreciate this and take seriously their learning about the importance of positive and healthy relationships. Pupils know how they should treat each other.

They take pride in welcoming everyone to their school. Pupils and teachers nominate individuals to receive 'sparkle card' rewards. Pupils say that these mean a great deal when they receive them from their peers, but that they are equally proud to nominate their teachers in appreciation of their work.

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

The school has an interesting and ambitious curriculum. Curriculum leaders have a passion for their subjects. This leads to interesting and vibrant lessons.

Each subject has its own distinctive identity, such as the fieldwork that is prioritised in geography. As a result, pupils see how their knowledge builds over time. This helps them to remember more and to understand key concepts.

Curriculum planning, including in early years, precisely identifies the knowledge that pupils need. Teachers use this detail to check exactly what pupils know and to plan any extra help needed. Any additional teaching outside of lessons is considered to ensure pupils do not miss out on other important learning.

Additionally, any pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are exceptionally well supported. Systems ensure that staff have detailed knowledge of the help each pupil needs. Knowledgeable teaching assistants work closely with class teachers to precisely plan learning.

Leaders make regular checks to ensure the support is helping pupils with SEND achieve well.

Reading is an integral part of every subject. Pupils regularly read for pleasure and to find out more about the topics they study.

Pupils in the early stages of learning to read are well supported. Detailed planning and knowledgeable staff ensure that phonics lessons are focused and well considered. Pupils who find learning to read more difficult are helped by extra individual and small group sessions.

In Reception, as well as stories, pupils learn the first steps of reading through their free-play activities. The school makes sure that children are well prepared for Year 1 by checking what they each need and supporting them through both play and adult-led activities.

The school makes the most of its location.

Learning is brought to life through use of places and resources that are local to the school. Pupils study chalk streams and visit the city's museums and cathedral. The school is creative in forging links and partnerships with other local schools and organisations.

This means that pupils enjoy a broad range of enrichment visits and visitors to the school.

Pupils are well prepared for their next steps, be this moving to a new year group, or to secondary school. The school makes sure that important information about pupils is shared between class teachers.

Pupils have opportunities to take on positions of responsibility, such as school councillor or 'buddying' younger children. Pupils are proud to talk about the 'buddy bench' and play equipment the school council helped to choose.

Behaviour in lessons and in pupils' free time is very good.

Pupils understand the school's values of 'love, hope and community' and the school rules of 'ready, respectful, safe'. Pupils use these to consider both their own conduct and the effect this has on others. The school's 'gems' reward system is also effective in helping pupils to recognise positive behaviour.

All of this supports pupils in eagerly wanting to come to school and to attend well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is variation in how well the school's curriculum is taught in a small number of subjects.

This means that pupils are not always learning as much as they could. The school must continue to develop teachers' skills and understanding of the curriculum as it is embedded across the school.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 February 2014.