Branton Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The senior leaders and the governing body have a clear vision for the future of the school. This can be seen in the significant development of this good school as a valued rural community resource. The well-managed teaching is good with some imaginative elements observed.

Children's skills when they enter the Nursery class are typical for their age. All groups of pupils make good progress as they move through the school. All pupils are cared for and looked after exceptionally well.

All parents agree. Pupils have a well-developed sense of how to keep themselves safe. The good curriculum and interesting range of activities and vis...its are well matched to the needs of each pupil.

Excellent relationships, coupled with high expectations, help pupils to learn well. All pupils thrive in the happy friendly atmosphere, including those pupils eligible for extra government funding, those with complex needs and those learning English. Pupils' behaviour is outstanding and this is reflected in their high levels of commitment in lessons.

Pupils are responsible, considerate and kind to each other. The headteacher's energy and passion have enabled the school to improve a great deal since the last inspection. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teachers do not always use pupils' progress information relentlessly to plan activities exactly matched to pupils' abilities and needs.

Opportunities are occasionally missed to demand more from pupils and provide additional practise for their numeracy skills. Teachers sometimes miss opportunities to question pupils closely enough in order to check and test their knowledge and understanding. Rapid progress and higher achievement is not yet a consistent feature of all lessons.

Information about this school

Branton is a much smaller than average sized primary school. Currently, an extremely low proportion of pupils is known to be eligible for pupil premium funding (which is provided by the government to support the learning of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, in the care of the local authority or the children of members of the armed forces). This is much lower than the national average.

The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is three times the national average. Reception children often have limited pre-school experience.

The large majority of pupils are White British. Two pupils are from minority ethnic groups and both are at an early stage of learning to speak English. In April 2012, the school successfully appealed against its planned closure.

In September 2012, a community nursery managed by the governing body was successfully established. A parent and toddler group, which meets one morning each week, was also set up successfully. The school works in close collaboration with local schools.