Bishops Lydeard Church School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's values of 'respect, endurance, friendship' are lived up to by pupils.

Pupils celebrate difference. They are adamant that 'everyone is welcome' at their school.

Pupils say they feel happy and safe in school.

They know the difference between bullying and falling out. Pupils say that if another pupil is unkind, staff help them sort it out. They are confident to share worries with a trusted adult.

For example, pupils use the 'what I wish my headteacher knew' post box to ask questions and share their thoughts. Some parents say they would appreciate clearer communication from the school. Leaders are acting to rectify this.

During the ...school day, pupils learn and play well together. Most know how to share, take turns and show each other respect. Some pupils have additional support from adults to understand how to get along with others.

This work is successful.

Pupils are proud to take on roles of responsibility, such as play leaders and eco-councillors. They are confident to express their own opinions and recognise the importance of listening to others.

Pupils value the opportunity to play musical instruments and represent their school at sporting events. Their personal development, talents and interests are nurtured well.

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

Children in the early years get off to a flying start.

The carefully sequenced curriculum is used to plan children's learning effectively. Staff skilfully support children to use the well-organised indoor and outdoor learning environments successfully. Staff in the early years use high-quality talk and play to develop children's skills and knowledge well.

Children are introduced to a wide range of books from the moment they join the school. They regularly share stories and rhymes. Staff nurture the love of reading through carefully chosen books.

Phonics teaching begins in Nursery. Staff's phonics knowledge is secure. They use this to check pupils' phonics knowledge and quickly spot those who need help.

Pupils who need additional help have appropriate extra practice. Reading books match their phonics knowledge accurately. Teachers model reading and discuss the high-quality texts regularly.

This supports pupils to read with fluency and develops their comprehension skills well.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils' learning. They have created a clearly sequenced and coherent curriculum from Nursery to Year 6.

Leaders have identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to remember across most subject curriculums. In most subjects, teaching supports pupils to practise and remember prior knowledge, skills and vocabulary effectively. This helps pupils to build secure knowledge over time.

For example, in mathematics pupils use and apply their knowledge to answer problem-solving and reasoning questions confidently.

Nevertheless, there are a few subject curriculums that are not as well developed. The essential knowledge leaders want pupils to retain is not identified clearly.

This makes it difficult for teachers to plan and check precisely what pupils must know and remember. Pupils have superficial subject knowledge because teaching does not help to recap important content. For example, in geography, pupils move on to new content before they secure essential knowledge of counties, cities, towns and villages.

Leaders of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) work with a wide range of external services to support pupils well. There are clear and established systems in place to identify pupils' additional needs accurately. Appropriate support is put in place swiftly.

For example, staff use weekly objectives and bespoke resources to meet pupils' needs effectively. Staff review targets frequently to ensure that pupils continue to receive timely and effective support. Leaders are beginning to engage parents in the target setting and review process alongside their children.

Staff have consistently high expectations of pupils' behaviour. This begins in the early years. Routines are quickly established.

Pupils move around the school in a calm and orderly way. Staff are quick to spot pupils who need additional support to understand and manage their feelings. Leaders have rightly prioritised training for staff to help them support pupils' social and emotional needs.

The personal social and health education (PSHE) curriculum develops pupils' understanding of how to become responsible, active citizens well. They know how to be physically and mentally healthy. Pupils know about different world faiths and cultures.

Teachers carefully plan discussions and debates to help pupils develop tolerance and understanding of other people's views successfully. Pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain well.

The well-being of pupils, parents and staff has a high profile at the school.

Staff appreciate leaders' consideration and support. Leaders' work with families has successfully improved pupils' attendance in recent years.

Leaders, including governors and trustees, know the school's strengths and areas for development thoroughly.

They have a clear vision for the school. There are robust systems in place to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leaders' actions accurately.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders complete the necessary safeguarding checks before staff and volunteers begin working at the school. The accuracy of safeguarding records is checked regularly by governors and the multi-academy trust (MAT).Staff receive appropriate safeguarding training, including e-safety.

They know how to report and record concerns. Staff know that leaders follow up on any concerns about pupils' safety and well-being. Leaders are tenacious in trying to secure support for pupils and families in need.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know not to share personal information online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to know and remember across some foundation subject curriculums.

As a result, teaching does not check on the important concepts that pupils need to learn. Pupils are unable to make connections between concepts that would help them to build on prior learning. Where this occurs, leaders need to identify essential subject content, ensuring assessment is precise, so that pupils know and remember more in the foundation subject curriculums.