Appleton Church of England (A) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations. Their vision of 'building wisely for life' is at the heart of everything the school does. Relationships between staff and pupils are based on mutual respect.

Pupils are kind and work alongside their peers in a supportive and thoughtful way. Staff encourage pupils to become successful, independent and resilient learners.

Pupils describe their school as safe and welcoming.

They form strong friendships and learn to take responsibility for themselves and others. Pupils make a difference both in school and the wider community. For instance, pupils regularly raise funds for charity and work with residents of the local care home.
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Pupils also organise and manage the ever-popular lunchtime 'happiness hub'. This makes the atmosphere around school peaceful and harmonious.

Pupils say that bullying is rare and, if it does happen, staff will deal with it straight away.

They enjoy taking part in after-school clubs, especially sports clubs, and are proud of their achievements. Parents are supportive of the school, appreciating the hard work of staff and the care taken to get to know every single child and family. As one parent commented, 'Teachers are invested genuinely in every aspect of our children's development.'



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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to learn and achieve well. Overall, they have designed a well-crafted and coherent curriculum. For example, in subjects such as mathematics and science, the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and remember is identified precisely from the start of Reception to the end of Year 6.

This means pupils are prepared for their next steps in learning. Children in the early years gain a rich understanding of the world around them, from the school's outdoor environment to the geography, wildlife and culture of Australasia. However, in a handful of subjects, curriculum design is not as strong.

Consequently, pupils do not deepen their understanding of these subjects as well as they could.

Pupils look forward to their lessons. They say that teachers make learning fun and exciting.

Teachers use assessment as a fundamental part of their practice. They check on what the pupils are learning and adjust what they teach accordingly. Leaders make sure that staff identify pupils with SEND accurately and provide pupils with the resources and support they need.

Staff are well trained and help pupils link in their work to prior learning. However, sometimes teachers do not adapt work effectively enough for pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could.

Leaders prioritise a love of reading. Staff read aloud high-quality books from a range of authors and cultures. This exposes pupils to literature that they might not read themselves.

Right from the start, children in Reception begin to learn phonics through a systematic programme. They learn to use their phonics to read and write words with confidence. This ensures that children are well prepared to start Year 1.

Staff in key stage 1 make sure that the books pupils read help them practise the sounds they learn in lessons. Most pupils who are weaker readers benefit from a range of activities that help them learn to read confidently and fluently. However, sometimes the approaches used with some pupils with SEND to help them catch up are not precise enough to help pupils make progress.

Pupils throughout the school, including in the early years, behave very well. They have good manners and try hard to do what is right. Overall, pupils attend school regularly and make a prompt positive start to the day.

Pupils rightly explore healthy relationships and appropriate behaviour within relationships in an age-appropriate way. Pupils know how to take care of their mental health and well-being. They listen to different views with respect and consideration.

They are appreciative of others and celebrate diversity, rather than focus on difference. Pupils enjoy the extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities which leaders are in the process of building up to pre-pandemic levels.

Governors work with leaders to ensure that the quality of education improves continually.

They care about the well-being of the team, and staff really appreciate this. Staff are proud to be part of this happy and effective team. Leaders rightly invest heavily in training for staff, which is focused on appropriate, well-targeted areas.

Leaders, including governors, are knowledgeable and have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths. However, they are not always sharp enough in monitoring some aspects of the school's work, such as behaviour and attendance. This would provide greater understanding of the impact of their work and help shape next steps even more precisely.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff know the school's community well. This helps staff to notice when pupils may be at risk of harm.

Leaders provide regular training for staff, who report concerns swiftly. Leaders follow these up with prompt action. They work well with other external agencies to support families.

Leaders ensure that safer recruitment procedures for new staff are consistently followed.

Pupils learn about personal safety through focused safety weeks, assemblies and NSPCC programmes. Pupils have ongoing internet safety training identifying the risks that could affect them, such as when using social media platforms.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the curriculum is not as precisely sequenced as it is in others. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge and skills as well as they could. Leaders should continue their work to make sure that the curriculum in all subjects is well designed, and identify the key knowledge and skills pupils should learn.

• Some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could because teaching is not always adapted sufficiently enough to meet their needs. This includes the support some pupils get to catch up in their reading. Leaders should ensure that teachers are well trained and adapt their teaching so that all pupils can achieve consistently highly.

• Leaders' and governors' oversight in some aspects of the school's work, such as behaviour and attendance, is not as sharp as it is for others. This means that actions to improve the school are not always as finely tuned as they could be. Leaders should sharpen up their monitoring processes so they can effectively evaluate the full impact of their work and, where necessary, hold school leaders to account.