Buckland St Mary Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of belonging at this small rural school. Pupils say it is like 'one big family'.

The school's Christian values shine through everywhere. Pupils are polite and get along well with each other. Pupils are safe.

They attend well. Pupils are confident that if bullying did happen, staff would sort it out swiftly.

Pupils take pride in carrying out their responsibilities as playtime buddies and collective worship leaders.

Pupils actively support charities and see this as part of their service to the school, the local community and beyond. Staff encourage pupils to debate and put their views across, and they do.

Pupils appreci...ate the many ways in which they can expand their horizons beyond village life.

They enjoy sporting events, visiting other schools, music events and learning outside in the local area. Most pupils appreciate the high profile that art has in the school.

The quality of education pupils receive is improving but it is not good.

Pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. The curriculum does not include all the necessary content for pupils to thrive. Pupils do not know and remember as much as they could.

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

The new headteacher has an accurate understanding of the weaknesses in the quality of education pupils receive, and why this is so. Leaders are providing staff with clarity, and the right support to bring about necessary improvements. Nonetheless, it is too early to see impact in some subjects.

Leaders and teachers ensure that pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and at social times. In Nursery, staff implement a rich and carefully thought-out curriculum. It includes all the required areas of learning and prioritises getting children talking, knowing more and doing a lot.

However, staff do not build on these rich experiences sufficiently. Teachers do not use their assessments of what pupils know already well enough. This is not helping some younger pupils to secure the basic knowledge and skills they require to do well.

Staff do not ensure that the curriculum in place for older pupils teaches them new knowledge when they are ready.

Conversely, most school staff use their good subject knowledge of phonics to get pupils reading. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know.

Most pupils are learning to read well. Many pupils who have fallen behind are catching up now.

The staff work well together.

They are positive about the help and support they have. Staff successfully use and apply the training they receive. For example, in mathematics, teachers make sure that the curriculum builds on what pupils already know.

Increasingly, pupils are gaining all the knowledge they should. Leaders help teachers to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Consequently, all pupils can access the full curriculum on offer.

However, staff do not have equally strong subject knowledge in every subject area yet.

Leaders' actions over the last 18 months to upgrade the wider curriculum are starting to pay off. Leaders identify the broad key ideas pupils need to know in every subject.

However, some subject plans miss out essential information or do not provide enough guidance about the sequence and complexity of knowledge pupils should know. This means pupils do not learn enough, including in science.

Since September 2021, leaders have been making swift and appropriate changes to ensure that pupils learn more content in every subject.

However, it is early days. Therefore, in a range of subjects, including computing, history, and geography, pupils have considerable gaps in their knowledge.

Pupils gain wide-ranging knowledge about different faiths and cultures, and how to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy.

There is a strong emphasis on spirituality and learning about oneself. Pupils become confident young citizens who are highly inclusive in their outlook.

Over time, trustees have not assured themselves that the policies, systems and processes they expect to be in place have become common practice.

The new headteacher is taking swift and appropriate action to ensure that everything is in place to put this right.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have a strong understanding of what to do when pupils are at risk.

They know how to refer concerns to the appropriate authorities and have a secure understanding of all the necessary systems and processes they need keep up to date in school. Staff are clear about reporting their concerns, but some historical records lack sufficient detail.

Pupils are well informed of the risks around them, including using social media.

Staff are trained in the most recent guidance and legislation to keep pupils safe, and they are.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are weaknesses in the content and sequencing of some curriculum plans. Teaching in some subjects does not prioritise the essential knowledge pupils need.

Pupils learn much more in some subjects than others. Leaders need to ensure that the way the curriculum is planned and delivered is successful in ensuring that pupils gain all the essential knowledge they need in every subject area. ? Teachers do not use their assessments of what pupils know and can do well enough.

Pupils have gaps in knowledge. Leaders need to ensure that teachers use all the information they have about what pupils know already so that pupils develop detailed knowledge and skills across the curriculum and achieve well. ? The curriculum does not prepare pupils well enough for Year 1.

The curriculum does not build on pupils' knowledge effectively. Pupils do not learn all the essential knowledge they need to thrive. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum in Reception and Year 1 is rich and well crafted so that pupils learn everything they should.

• Leaders and teachers do not have strong enough subject knowledge in all subjects they teach. Staff do not identify when sequences of work miss out important concepts to deepen pupils' knowledge. Leaders must ensure that all staff have the subject knowledge they need to plan and deliver sequences of work that enable pupils to gain all the knowledge they need to excel and achieve well.

• Systems to quality assure the work of the school are not fully effective. Some school policies and guidance take longer to implement than they should. Leaders and trustees must ensure that the quality assurance arrangements improve so that trustees are accurately informed about the school's effectiveness.