Binsted Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending this warm, welcoming and happy school.

Staff know all pupils very well. Pupils are well cared for and feel safe. They are rightly confident that if they have any concerns, these will be dealt with quickly.

Pupils value friendships and understand the importance of being kind to one another.

The school aims for all pupils to achieve highly, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are taught a broad range of subjects that build their learning year-on-year.

Pupils achieve well overall.

Pupils are polite and friendly. Effective routines are in place, which pupils follow well, particu...larly at break and lunchtimes.

Most pupils maintain focus in lessons and listen to the opinions of others. Staff act quickly if any pupils lose concentration. They have a detailed understanding of all pupils.

The school provides a range of experiences that extend beyond the classroom. These include music, art and a wide variety of sporting clubs for pupils. Pupils have opportunities to develop leadership and citizenship skills through work as 'young governors', 'chicken monitors' and as part of the eco-club.

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

The school has high ambitions for all pupils. In most subjects, the curriculum builds pupils' knowledge well from Reception to Year 6. Staff have the right subject knowledge and present information clearly to pupils.

The school's focus on developing pupils' vocabulary supports their learning across a range of subjects. They acquire secure knowledge. However, pupils do not achieve as highly as they could.

This is because pupils are not taught how to connect what they know in order to develop a really deep understanding of subjects.

Early reading is prioritised from the start of Reception to enable pupils to access the curriculum as effectively as possible. Most pupils read fluently and accurately.

However, the books that some pupils read are not always matched precisely to the sounds they know. Therefore, some pupils do not learn to read as quickly as they could.

Teachers' checks on pupils' learning help them to identify any pupil who has fallen behind.

The school puts extra support in place promptly to help pupils to catch up. This is most effective in early reading, where additional help is provided immediately. The school ensures that pupils with SEND are identified quickly.

The effective support these pupils receive means they achieve as well as their peers. However, the tasks that teachers set for pupils in order to check how much pupils have learned are not always as effective as they could be. Consequently, pupils do not have the opportunity to demonstrate fully how well they have mastered subjects.

Pupils often behave well in lessons. The school sets clear routines and expectations from the early years onwards. The youngest children learn to communicate their needs quickly, which adults meet effectively.

While most pupils meet the school's expectations, some struggle to concentrate well enough. Staff often manage these situations swiftly and sensitively to make sure the learning of others is not disrupted.

The school has a thorough programme of personal development for pupils.

Pupils learn about healthy relationships and safety in an age-appropriate way. They are encouraged to explore different faiths and beliefs. Pupils also have many opportunities to develop their leadership skills through being elected to roles of responsibility.

Pupils work closely with adults to make tangible improvements to the school. Although pupils are taught important aspects, such as fundamental British values and how to keep healthy, they do not always understand or remember these. The school knows this and plans to build in more opportunities to check what pupils know and remember within the personal development programme.

Governors support leaders and staff well. They are mindful of staff workload and the importance of staff well-being. Staff appreciate the many training opportunities they receive.

Governors ask challenging questions of leaders and visit the school regularly to understand for themselves the impact of leaders' actions. Governors and leaders share an ambition for all pupils to feel valued and to attain highly.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not always delivered so that pupils develop a deep understanding of subjects. This means pupils are not achieving as highly as they could. The school should teach pupils to connect their learning more effectively so that they deepen their understanding further.

• Tasks teachers use to assess pupils' knowledge do not always check precisely what pupils have been taught or the depth of their understanding. This means pupils are not able to demonstrate all that they have learned. The school should design assessment tasks carefully so that pupils can show the full extent of their understanding.

• The books some pupils read do not always match the sounds they know. This means these pupils do not learn to read as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that all pupils learn to read fluently and accurately as effectively as possible.