Caddington Village School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk positively about their school and the friendships they make.

Pupils are keen to do well. They are focused in lessons. Children in early years quickly and happily settle into routines.

Pupils are motivated by the rewards the new behaviour approach offers. This has had a positive impact on behaviour around the school. Pupils are confident that adults address any unkindness.

They have trusted adults to share any worries with.

Pupils know that staff want them to succeed. They like all the different subjects they learn about.

Children in early years secure the knowledge and learning habits they need ready for Year 1. From the outset, ...pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well supported to learn to read. Pupils enjoy visiting the school library and having stories read to them.

By the end of Year Six, most pupils achieve well in national assessments, which prepares them for secondary school.

Pupils appreciate going on trips and having visitors into school. This includes liaising with a partner school in Germany.

These opportunities broaden pupils' horizons. Pupils are enjoying the recently introduced 'community champions' programme. These new leadership roles, such as for well-being and the environment, are helping pupils become more responsible citizens.

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

The school has improved how well pupils achieve in reading, writing and mathematics. It has introduced new curriculum content to ensure that in all subjects, the knowledge pupils need builds logically over time. The curriculum is ambitious.

Leaders are also stabilising the school after a period of change. They are helping staff get used to the new curriculum expectations. This work is starting to have impact, yet it is still in its early stages.

This means that sometimes the work given to pupils is not yet in the detail or depth that the school intends.

There is a strong focus on reading throughout the school. Children in early years quickly grasp the sounds they need to know to start to read.

Staff skilfully support them to apply this knowledge in their writing. In all year groups, staff regularly check how well pupils can read. If this is not the case, staff take swift and precise action to ensure pupils catch up.

The school checks how well pupils are securing key knowledge. Pupils with SEND have clear targets to help them meet their identified goals. However, in some subjects, staff are not consistently using checks on learning to adapt lessons to meet the specific needs of pupils in their class.

This can sometimes include pupils with SEND. As a result, gaps in knowledge remain or pupils complete work with ease when they are capable of moving on to new knowledge sooner.

Pupils across the school display positive learning habits.

This starts in early years, where the children are taught to take turns and how to sustain concentration. Therefore, children can successfully engage in meaningful learning opportunities. Pupils and staff agree that the new behaviour policy is applied fairly and consistently.

Lessons are calm. Most pupils behave well for all adults in the school, so learning is not disrupted. Pupils understand what bullying is and how to report it.

Pupils know that discriminatory behaviour is not acceptable. Leaders keep a close eye on any challenging behaviours. They are starting to take effective action to support pupils who need extra help managing their emotions.

This remains an ongoing focus for a few pupils.

The school is taking appropriate steps to work with families and other agencies to improve attendance. There are still some pupils who are not in school regularly.

However, the school is doing all it can within its remit to address this. Leaders and governors ensure that this remains an ongoing focus.

Through the personal development provision, pupils have a secure understanding of how to stay safe, healthy and happy.

In early years, staff encourage children to describe their feelings and how to consider those of others. Older pupils are taught about healthy relationships and about being prepared for their teenage lives. The school ensures that pupils learn about the dangers of knife crime and about online safety.

Pupils can explain clearly and maturely about equality, diversity and respecting differences. They understand democracy and why it is important.

As a federation, governors provide effective challenge and support.

They understand what is working well in school and what still needs action. The school is very mindful of staff well-being and this is appreciated by the staff. Many parents and carers are positive about the changes leaders are making to the school.

However, the school also acknowledges that there is still work to be done to ensure all parents feel this way.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Staff are still getting used to the updated curriculum content.

In some subjects, this means the work that some pupils produce is not sufficiently detailed and some pupils are not able to demonstrate a depth of understanding. The school needs to check that the level of detailed knowledge pupils need to know is explicitly understood by staff. The school then needs to check that pupils can recall this knowledge in the depth intended.

• The work some pupils, including some with SEND, are set is not consistently meeting their specific needs. This means gaps in knowledge remain or pupils miss opportunities to extend their knowledge further. The school needs to ensure that staff are using checks on learning to adapt provision for pupils effectively, so that they achieve more highly.

Some parents feel that they need more information about how the school supports their child. The school needs to continue their work to ensure parents are well informed and have their views taken into account. Governors need to check that parents' feedback shows that this is being successfully addressed.

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