Canon Pyon CofE Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

An overwhelming sense of community, with strong relationships between pupils and staff, strikes you as you arrive at Canon Pyon Primary. Pupils are happy in school.

All pupils look out for each other and support each other's individual needs. Pupils are safe and they say that poor behaviour is very rare. Where pupils need support to manage their behaviour, or focus on their learning, staff manage this calmly and consistently.

If pupils fall out, staff work with them to sort out issues quickly.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. They have designed a curriculum that enables pupils to achieve well, and they do.

Most pupils understand what th...ey need to do. This helps them to have good attitudes to their learning. Pupils are very enthusiastic about reading.

They enjoy the many opportunities to read to an adult or to themselves. Leaders place literacy and numeracy at the heart of pupils' learning. This enables pupils to securely develop these skills.

Leaders place an exceptionally strong emphasis on pupils' personal development. Pupils can explain their understanding of fundamental British values, equality and diversity. Pupil 'school leaders' and 'warriors of worship' (WOW) successfully organise sports activities and collective worship.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Pupils successfully achieve their academic potential. They also develop their emotional well-being and cultural knowledge exceptionally well.

The majority of pupils are always enthusiastic about their learning. In all classes, including the early years, positive relationships between staff, children, and parents and carers help children to be confident and happy.

Leaders have set out the key knowledge and skills that pupils should learn in all subjects.

Pupils confidently talk about what they know and understand in a range of subjects. For example, Year 1 to Year 3 pupils explained what the characters and stories were about in their reading books. They could link this to things they know about in their own lives.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They regularly check that pupils understand what they have to do in lessons. This means pupils avoid gaps in their knowledge or making mistakes.

For example, pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 geography used their knowledge of tsunamis to build models which represented this. The teacher successfully checked for understanding when pupils were creating their models. However, some pupils in key stage 1 do not understand what they have to do as well as they might.

On occasion, teachers do not ensure that all pupils in key stage 1 fully understand what they are learning and that they can recall the learning later on. This leads to gaps in their knowledge.

Leaders quickly identify any pupil who may need additional support.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All pupils follow the same curriculum. Teachers use 'pupil passports' effectively to adapt their teaching so that pupils with SEND can access learning.

Staff then provide pupils with effective, targeted support to help them successfully improve their learning.

Leaders identify any pupil with weak literacy as soon as they join the school. The precise, and effective, sequencing of phonics teaching ensures that pupils learn the right sounds at the right time.

Staff make sure that books match the sounds that pupils learn. Those pupils who need help to catch up receive support quickly. This helps pupils read with confidence and enthusiasm.

Leaders talk with pupils and parents about the importance of high attendance. Pupils know they must be in school every day and understand why. This is helping to improve attendance.

Leaders continue to work rigorously with parents to support those who are most often absent from school.

Leaders' work to promote pupils' personal development is highly effective. The school values of 'Together, Respect, Encourage, Endeavour, Self-belief' (TREES) shine through every aspect of pupils' lives.

Pupils have a detailed understanding of healthy relationships and respecting the views of others. Pupils voice their opinions about the school. This encourages a strong sense of belonging.

Pupils take part in a wide range of clubs, such as sports, music and mindfulness. Pupils appreciate trips and visits to places such as Hay-on-Wye and South Wales, as well as the Year 6 residential week.

Leaders know their school very well.

They act swiftly to improve any aspect of the provision that does not meet their high expectations. Leaders carefully consider staff workload and staff welcome this. Governors know the school's strengths and areas for development.

They are well informed about the curriculum and hold leaders to account for the decisions taken.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained to spot signs that pupils may be at risk of harm.

They recognise that keeping pupils safe is everyone's responsibility and all staff show this every day. Leaders check the staff's understanding of safeguarding regularly. They make sure that staff understand any local risks that may affect pupils and know what to do if they have concerns.

The curriculum helps pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including around online safety, talking to strangers and visiting new places. Pupils say they can talk to anyone about being safe. Leaders ensure that help for pupils and families is always available.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In key stage 1, some pupils do not always understand what they are learning and cannot recall the learning later on. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to build on prior learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently check that key stage 1 pupils understand what they have to do and can then recall the key learning at a later point.

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