All Saints CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy at this friendly and welcoming school. The school's values of compassion, creation and community are firmly embedded. Pupils are courteous and kind to one another.

The school does much to promote diversity and inclusion. For example, pupils take part in 'international day' to consider different cultures, including their belief systems, dress, food and dance.

The school provides a wide range of enrichment activities and trips so that pupils gain valuable life experiences.

Pupils attend numerous clubs including hockey, art, swim squad and chess. There is also a strong performing arts offer with places in the brass band, ballet or stre...et dance. The school provides opportunities for younger pupils to develop their confidence and explore nature through outdoor learning and play.

Pupils benefit from a broad and enriched education. The school has high expectations of pupils. Pupils enjoy their learning and make good progress through the curriculum.

Pupils achieve well at the end of key stage 2, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Parents and carers speak highly of the school's pastoral care, and they work in active partnership with the school. Leaders carefully consider what is best for the pupils in their care.

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

Pupils follow an ambitious curriculum that is carefully designed to build knowledge securely. Teachers have good subject knowledge and present information clearly. There is an emphasis on learning the key vocabulary and terminology needed, particularly for older pupils.

Pupils are given time to apply and practise their skills. For example, they regularly put their ideas to the test in scientific investigations. Pupils are often able to recall their learning well.

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately and promptly. Most pupils with SEND are supported to learn the curriculum well alongside their peers, although this is stronger in the older year groups. Teachers are provided with information about pupils' needs and mostly make adaptations successfully where required.

However, sometimes, expectations are not high enough for these pupils and they are not consistently provided with the strategies they need to learn effectively. Some pupils are overly reliant on adult support as they are not given the tools they need to develop their confidence.

The school promotes a love of reading, and many older pupils choose to read ambitious texts such as 'Anne of Green Gables'.

Younger pupils follow a well-organised phonics programme, which is set out logically to build knowledge gradually. Staff deliver the programme well, although at times some pupils struggle to fully concentrate, which means they require further one-to-one support. Pupils practise reading with books that match the sounds taught in class.

Those who need additional help with their reading are given extra sessions with 'phonics champions' to develop their fluency.Reception and Nursery classes are well resourced and offer a range of interactive activities. Staff establish strong relationships with families and include them well in children's learning.

For example, parents take part in 'rock up and read' events or become the 'mystery reader'. Children develop their confidence well. However, the school has not fully developed the design of the curriculum to ensure that children make strong progress.

At times, it is not clear what children should gain from activities, and children do not learn as much as they should. Interactions with staff and resources to support and engage learning are variable in quality, and children do not sustain their concentration for long. For example, children are sometimes not sufficiently well guided to try different activities and are not given the prompts or examples they need to draw out key vocabulary and learning.

Pupils attend school well. Where this is not the case, staff take appropriate action to help pupils get back into school. Pupils' conduct around school is calm.

Children in early years play cooperatively and learn to regulate their emotions. Older pupils are motivated to learn in class and enjoy their learning.

Personal, social, health and economic education is well organised.

Pupils are taught how to stay healthy and how to keep themselves safe, including online. The school has a strong programme of events and competitions, including poetry recitals, visits to museums, workshops and several residential trips. Pupils take on various positions of leadership, including house captains, play leaders and digital leaders.

This provides them with a keen sense of responsibility. Pupils eagerly talk about the trips they have been on and the fun they have in school. They are prepared well for life in modern Britain.

Staff feel valued. Leaders provide high-quality professional development and take staff's workload into consideration. One staff member summed up, 'We are looked after and feel appreciated.'

Governors and leaders take their duty of care seriously. They are committed to further improvement of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In the early years, the intended learning of the curriculum is sometimes not clear, and activities set do not build learning effectively. Therefore, some children are not making sufficient progress through the curriculum. The school should consider carefully what the core intended learning is and communicate this clearly to staff so that activities are consistently meaningful.

• Expectations of pupils with SEND are not consistently high and strategies to support their learning are not routinely embedded. This means that some of these pupils do not progress through the curriculum as well as they could. The school should ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are met consistently well and that they are equipped with the strategies they require to have full access to the curriculum and build their confidence.