Carisbrooke Church of England Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their inclusive school.

Leaders' high expectations are well established in the school's values and in the mantra, 'to treat everyone with respect'. Staff know their pupils well, and this leads to strong nurturing relationships. In turn, pupils are keen to meet these expectations, building a harmonious environment where they feel safe.

Pupils behave well around the school. A positive learning culture permeates throughout. Classrooms are calm, orderly places.

Pupils say, 'No-one is lonely in this school.' They enjoy the active, busy playtimes with their friends. Pupils waiting at the 'Friendship Stop' are quickly 'scooped up' into games.
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Around the school, pupils are kind and courteous to all.

Pupils prize the range of experiences that enhance the curriculum, such as learning to sail and residential visits to London. They are encouraged to have a voice in their school, relishing the opportunities to help.

Many actively participate, for instance in groups such as the 'Pupils' Parliament' or as 'travel ambassadors'. Pupils' clubs, such as 'hide and seek' and 'glow discos', are attended well. Throughout the year, pupils take part in events to raise funds for both local and national charities that are important to them, such as the local Mountbatten Hospice.

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

Pupils' personal development is exceptional. The curriculum teaches pupils how to identify risk and seek help if they are worried. Pupils develop a strong understanding of the challenges of social media, and older pupils are keenly aware of how this can affect their own well-being.

In lessons, pupils enjoy debating ideas and are keen to share their thoughts on 'big questions'. They enjoy learning about others' beliefs and comparing these against their own. Pupils are deeply aware of how their own actions can have an impact on others.

For example, 'eco-captains' champion recycling, recognising their role in reducing waste. Older pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are keen to share their experiences and know their peers will support and accept them.

The school's curriculum is ambitiously planned.

Leaders have carefully considered and sequenced the knowledge they want pupils to learn in most subjects. In some subjects, there is further work under way to refine what pupils need to learn and in what order. Subject leaders are experts in their subjects and provide high-quality support for staff.

The curriculum begins in the early years and gives children, from their first days, a strong foundation for learning that prepares them well for Year 1.

Assessment in the core curriculum is used well. Leaders use this to track pupils' progress carefully in these subjects.

Where pupils are at risk of falling behind, these ongoing checks are used to plan support for them. Assessment information is also used well to accurately identify pupils with SEND. The school has developed similar checks to track pupils' progress across the non-core subjects.

Where these checks are relatively new, they are not currently being used consistently to identify and plug gaps in pupils' learning.

Pupils achieve well across the curriculum and in the early years. Teachers' subject knowledge is secure.

During learning time, adults model ideas clearly so that pupils' understanding builds over time. In the early years, children benefit from a focus on communication and language, which helps build their early vocabulary. Teachers carefully design tasks that encourage older pupils to draw on their existing understanding.

For example, in design and technology, pupils were able to compare the effectiveness of a range of wood joints with other methods they had learned previously. In lessons, adults provide tailored support for pupils with additional needs, including pupils with SEND, so they are able to learn successfully.

Reading is central to the curriculum.

Well-trained staff deliver the school's early reading programme effectively. Staff listen to weaker readers frequently and provide rapid support for those who need to catch up. As a result, pupils gain a secure knowledge of phonics and become fluent and expressive readers.

Throughout the school, pupils enjoy the range of stories staff read to them. As a result, pupils develop a love for reading across a range of literature and talk confidently about the books they have read.

Governors understand their roles clearly and provide effective challenge and support for leaders.

The collaborative work across the federation provides opportunities to share good practice and provide staff with effective professional development. Staff values these experiences, and they are highly appreciative of leaders' consideration of their workload.

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 small number of subjects, essential learning has not been identified as clearly as in the rest of the curriculum. Consequently, not all pupils are able to build on prior learning as effectively as they might. The school should ensure that its ongoing work to identify the specific knowledge that it wants pupils to learn leads to them developing secure knowledge across the whole curriculum.

• Assessment expectations across the foundation subjects are new and not yet established. As a result, sometimes it is unclear what knowledge pupils have retained. The school needs to ensure teachers can confidently use the assessment processes to identify knowledge gaps and adapt learning accordingly so that pupils know and remember more across the curriculum.

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