Camms CofE (Aided) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Camms CofE (Aided) Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and inclusive school where pupils thrive. The school has created a nurturing ethos that encourages and supports pupils to achieve well.

Pupils are happy and feel safe at school. They know who to talk to if they have any worries. Pupils know that adults will help them sort out any difficulties they may have.

They know that staff care about them. Pupils enjoy school and attend well.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils rise to the challenge and behave very well. They play well together during social times. Incident...s of bullying are rare.

Pupils say that incidents are dealt with swiftly.

Pupils' personal development underpins school life. Pupils learn the importance of looking after their own mental and physical health.

They gain from a wide range of activities that enrich their time at school. For example, they relish being part of the choir, football and colouring clubs. They appreciate the school trips.

Pupils value their leadership roles. For example, the prefects enjoy supporting younger children.

Parents and carers are positive about the school.

Typically, a parent commented that the school is, 'genuinely a lovely, supportive and caring place'.

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

The school's curriculum matches the ambition of the national curriculum. All subject curriculums clearly identify the important knowledge that pupils should learn and when.

The school has ensured that the planned curriculum enables pupils to build their knowledge and skills from the early years to the end of Year 6. In most cases, subject curriculums are delivered well. Where this is not the case, pupils do not remember their learning as well.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They revisit learning and build on what pupils have learned before. Teachers encourage pupils to 'turn, tell and talk', to discuss their learning and share ideas.

In many subjects, teachers carefully check what pupils have learned. They identify those pupils who need extra help and ensure that they get it. In mathematics, the consistent approach to learning begins in the early years.

Children in Reception develop their mathematical vocabulary, understanding of numbers and recognition of patterns. In physical education (PE), teachers demonstrate skills and strategies well. All pupils join in and they perform to a high standard.

Reading is prioritised to ensure that pupils develop a love of reading. Staff have high levels of expertise in teaching phonics. Pupils begin to learn phonics as soon as they start in Reception.

They read books that match the phonics knowledge that they are learning. Staff encourage pupils to practise their reading at home. Teachers regularly check on pupils' progress in reading to identify those who need extra help.

Pupils speak enthusiastically about story times. They quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn very well alongside their peers.

Teachers adapt teaching effectively to meet these pupils' needs. For example, they use resources such as multiplication grids and cubes in mathematics. Support staff help pupils to overcome challenges and to develop confidence.

Staff ask questions, check understanding and provide supportive reassurance.

The school supports pupils' personal development well. Pupils understand the importance of the schools' values, which include respect, friendship and compassion.

They understand how these values are important across different religions and cultures. They recognise the importance of kindness and of persevering when things are difficult. Pupils learn about democracy.

However, they do not have a deep understanding of other fundamental British values and some aspects of equality. As a result, they are not as well prepared for some aspects of life in modern Britain as they could be.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about being part of a supportive team.

They appreciate the efforts that leaders make to manage staff's workload and support their well-being. Governors know the school well. They provide support for all staff and hold leaders effectively to account.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum identifies the key knowledge pupils should learn in all subjects. However, on occasions, the pedagogical choices made in teaching some foundation subjects are not the most appropriate.

As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they could in these subjects. The school must ensure that appropriate pedagogical choices are made to implement the ambitious curriculums effectively, thus enabling pupils to know, remember and do more in all subjects. ? Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to broaden their knowledge and deepen their understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion, and some aspects of the British values.

Consequently, they are not as well prepared as they need to be for some aspects of life in modern Britain. The school must ensure that pupils have the opportunities to learn about equality, diversity and all aspects of British values fully, thus being better prepared for life in modern Britain.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2019.