Broad Chalke CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This happy and welcoming school is at the heart of its rural community. Staff weave the school's values of respect, resilience, hope and love throughout the day.

These values guide pupils in how they learn and play. Pupils speak kindly to adults and each other. Many describe the school as 'a caring family'.

In recent years, the school has raised expectations of what pupils know and can do. This shows in the quality of pupils' work. In reading, writing and mathematics, pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school.

Classrooms are typically calm. Pupils follow the school's 'smart' rules. It is commonplace to see 'smart learning' in lessons and 'smart li...ning up' in the playground.

Pupils know that they can speak to an adult or use the worry boxes to share concerns. They trust staff to act on any problems quickly and effectively, and they do.

The school teaches pupils to be responsible and safe.

Visits from the fire brigade and police reinforce fire and online safety. Pupil leadership roles, such as prefects and playground buddies, make a positive difference to other pupils. Time spent with Crumble, the therapy dog, supports pupils with social and emotional needs well.

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

Leaders have worked determinedly to construct an ambitious and engaging curriculum. The trust provides expert support and challenge to ensure that the school continues to move forward. The governing body has a clear understanding of its role and holds the school to account.

Staff at all levels value their training and the opportunities to collaborate with other schools in the trust. They are highly positive about the steps taken to support their workload and well-being.

The curriculum sets out the essential knowledge pupils should know and the order in which they should learn it.

In many subjects, pupils recall prior learning well and connect this to new content. For example, pupils in Year 4 use their knowledge of basic fractions to add fractions with the same denominator. Pupils build simple maps in Reception Year and then compare aerial photographs of their locality in Year 1.

However, in a few of the recently refined subjects, the school has not yet made the links to pupils' prior learning explicit enough. Therefore, the depth of what pupils know and remember over time varies.

Reading and oracy are a main 'curriculum driver'.

The inviting library reflects the school's aim for all pupils to develop a love of reading. Staff select high-quality books that capture pupils' interests and help them learn about the world around them. For example, older pupils build empathy through reading books about people with a disability.

In lessons, they maturely discuss characters' feelings and build on each other's views to explain their thinking.

Staff follow a clearly structured phonics programme. In Reception Year, children use the sounds they know to read and write simple words.

Staff use ongoing checks and give extra help to children who need it. By the end of Year 1, most pupils gain a secure knowledge of phonics. However, the school does not have a fully embedded approach to teaching reading fluency.

As a result, some of the weaker readers do not read as fluently or expressively as they could.

Staff have secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. They use consistent teaching approaches to help pupils discuss important knowledge and vocabulary.

For example, pupils use strategies such as 'think, pair and share' to explain their thoughts and ideas. In Reception Year, staff repeat words to help children understand meaning and develop their communication and language. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified quickly.

They receive personalised support when necessary so they can learn successfully alongside their peers.

Attendance is high, and pupils behave sensibly. They like to earn house points for doing the right thing.

The school has effective systems in place to deal with inappropriate behaviour. If a pupil's attention lapses, staff quickly get them back on track.

The school has a well-structured personal development programme.'

News assemblies' develop pupils' understanding of diversity and world issues. Pupils know their moral responsibility to accept and embrace people's differences. Residential trips encourage teamwork and independence.

Pupils contribute to society by raising money for charities, including for their partner school in Uganda. By voting for the school council, pupils learn about democracy. The variety of clubs, such as sports, drama, cooking and crafts, enhance pupils' enjoyment outside of the classroom.

The majority of parents and carers are positive about the school. Many commented on the dedicated staff and the nurturing culture at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few of the more recently revised subjects, the school has not made the links to pupils' prior learning explicit enough. This prevents pupils from deepening their understanding of important concepts over time. The trust should continue to strengthen the curriculum design to ensure that pupils successfully make links across learning and deepen their knowledge over time.

• The school does not routinely develop pupils' reading fluency. As a result, some of the weaker readers do not become fluent or expressive readers quickly enough. The trust should ensure that agreed systems are put in place so that all pupils have regular opportunities to develop their reading fluency.

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