Bilsdale Midcable Chop Gate Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bilsdale Midcable Chop Gate Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this rural school. They arrive at school each morning ready to learn and are warmly welcomed by leaders and staff.

Leaders have developed a caring and nurturing ethos which helps pupils to thrive. The relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils talk enthusiastically about how leaders and staff look after them well.

Leaders, staff and governors have high expectations for pupils' learning and behaviour. They want every child to succeed. In classrooms, pupils work in a calm and purposeful... manner.

Learning is very rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils know the high expectations staff have of them. As a result, pupils are eager to share ideas and learning with each other.

Bullying and other incidents of unkind behaviour are very rare. If anything does happen, pupils are very clear that leaders deal with this quickly and effectively. Pupils feel very safe in school.

They have trusted adults they can talk to.

Parents value the work of leaders and staff in supporting the pupils. Parents spoke positively about many aspects of the school.

One parent's comment reflected these views in the following way, 'Amazing small school with a big heart! Children here are happy and thriving.'

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

This is a truly inclusive school. Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils and the curriculum reflects this.

Leaders fully understand and accommodate the challenges of mixed-age classes. Leaders for mathematics are knowledgeable and passionate. The mathematics curriculum is well structured.

It enables all pupils to succeed and access the appropriate content for each year group. Pupils in mathematics are well supported by teachers with strong subject knowledge. Key knowledge previously taught is used effectively by pupils when working on new concepts.

Pupils contribute well during lessons. Teachers ensure that mathematical language is a key part of the curriculum.

Reading is a high priority for leaders.

Staff use a clearly sequenced phonics scheme and leaders ensure lessons follow the intended structure. Teaching of phonics starts promptly when pupils start early years. Pupils make good progress and read with fluency and expression.

Older pupils are enthusiastic about the books they are reading. They make links to previous stories read with confidence. Reading lessons develop pupils' comprehension well.

Books chosen in reading lessons are helping to broaden pupils' understanding of the wider world.

In the wider curriculum subjects, such as history, lessons are carefully planned from early years onwards. Lessons are sequenced clearly.

Leaders consider how pupils build knowledge, skills and understanding over time. Teachers adapt lessons well to meet the needs in each class. Pupils can recall recent learning but are not yet making links to previous work.

Opportunities to revisit learning and embed it are not used consistently. Pupils enjoy their history lessons and participate well during lessons.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported.

Leaders for SEND and teachers use a range of resources to effectively support a wide range of needs. The advice of professionals, where needed, is sought and actioned promptly. Pupils with SEND do well here.

Parents agree that the support for pupils with SEND is helping pupils achieve alongside their peers.

Behaviour in classrooms, around school and during social times is exemplary. Pupils are kind, courteous and respectful to each other and to staff.

Leaders monitor any behaviour incidents carefully and provide support where needed. This support is nurturing. Leaders acknowledge that the newly implemented work linked to personal development is ongoing.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online and recognise British values, such as democracy, in action. Knowledge around diversity and equality is less secure. Pupils have opportunities to attend after-school clubs.

Educational visits, such as visiting the theatre and participating in local sports festivals, enhance the school offer. Pupils work regularly with the pupils at the federated school to further develop their social skills and work with a wider range of peers.

Recent changes to senior leadership are helping the school develop further.

Staff reflect that leaders are considerate of workload. Governors also support leaders and staff with this. There is a strong sense of teamwork across the federation of schools.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders for safeguarding have clear policies and procedures in place to keep pupils safe. Leaders and staff benefit from regular training about safeguarding.

Their knowledge about local safeguarding issues linked to being in a rural location is very clear. Staff know how to report concerns about pupils and adults. Leaders responsible for recruitment make the necessary checks to ensure that adults working with pupils are suitable.

Pupils feel very safe in school. They know how to keep themselves safe and how adults in school keep them safe too.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Key knowledge that has been identified for pupils to know and remember in curriculum subjects, like history, is not always revisited regularly.

Pupils do not always make connections between their current learning and that from previous years. Leaders should ensure that key knowledge from the curriculum is revisited so that pupils embed previous learning and connect it to new knowledge being taught. ? The curriculum to ensure pupils understand life in modern Britain is newly implemented.

Pupils do not have sufficient understanding of diversity and other cultures. Leaders should further develop and embed the curriculum linked to pupils' wider development so pupils understand more about life in modern Britain.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2017.