Carlton and Faceby Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Carlton and Faceby Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of their school community. Staff and pupils describe the school as like being part of one big family.

Pupils say that everyone is really kind and that if they need help, they know they have an adult or a friend who can help them. They are well cared for and feel happy and safe at school.

Pupils behave well in classrooms and around the school.

There are high expectations of behaviour. Pupils follow well-established routines when moving from one activity to another. In lessons, pupils are engaged and attent...ive.

They learn well because of a curriculum that includes a broad range of interesting subjects and lessons. Pupils say that there is no bullying and that they know that adults would help them if it occurred.

Staff provide pupils with a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

Pupils also enjoy regular outdoor learning sessions. Pupils talk enthusiastically about educational visits and visitors to school. School councillors spoke of their enjoyment in welcoming and meeting the Prime Minister when he visited the school.

Leaders and staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and have planned a suitably ambitious curriculum. This prepares them well for the next stage of their education.

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

Leaders have planned a curriculum that sets out the important knowledge they want pupils to learn.

There is a clear sequence of learning that runs from early years to Year 6. Teachers make effective use of assessment in the classroom to check what pupils know and remember. In mathematics, pupils can talk about what they have learned and how this builds on their prior knowledge.

Leaders ensure that mathematics is well planned and resourced in the mixed-age classes. Leaders have mapped out the knowledge pupils need to know in foundation subjects such as history. Children in the Reception class learn about the past by looking at old artefacts and books.

However, the curriculum in some foundation subjects is less established, and pupils find it harder to remember what they have learned from previous topics.

Leaders ensure that the early years curriculum prepares children well for the next stage of their learning. For example, staff enable children to learn about early mathematical ideas and explore numbers in a dedicated mathematics area.

Children benefit from a vibrant and well-structured learning environment.

Leaders prioritise and celebrate reading. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading and talk about their favourite books and authors.

Leaders ensure that the chosen phonics scheme is used consistently well by expert teachers who are trained in the teaching of reading. In early years, children learn the sounds that letters make. When pupils fall behind or struggle with their reading, teachers identify them and support them to keep up.

The books that pupils read are well matched to their ability.

Leaders and governors have the same level of ambition for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND have individual plans and receive appropriate support.

They have access to adult support or to resources in mathematics that help them to learn. Leaders work with parents and outside agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND make good progress through the curriculum.

Leaders, staff and pupils talk about the benefits of being a member of a federation with another school.

Pupils look forward to days when they work with their friends from the other school. Staff enjoy the opportunities to have leadership roles across two schools. During a period of interim leadership, the school has benefitted from the support provided by an experienced headteacher.

Leaders and governors are considerate of staff well-being and workload. Staff say that they are well looked after.

Through the curriculum for personal, social and health education, pupils learn about keeping themselves safe and can give examples of the risks of using technology.

However, the curriculum does not teach pupils sufficiently well about healthy relationships and some fundamental British values.

Governors share the ambition of leaders that every pupil should achieve their best. They know the school well and make visits to see the impact of school improvement strategies.

They carry out training that builds their expertise, and they have a clear understanding of their roles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff have frequent training and receive important safeguarding updates through regular briefings. Staff know the signs that indicate that pupils may be at risk. Staff known how to report any concerns they have about pupils' safety and well-being.

Leaders follow these up carefully. However, a few of the safeguarding records do not have sufficient detail to fully record the actions that have been taken to keep pupils safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some areas of the curriculum are not as well established as others.

Pupils' learning is less secure in these areas. Leaders need to further embed the curriculum so that pupils learn well across all subjects. ? Pupils are not taught sufficiently well about different faiths, healthy relationships and wider British values.

This is limiting aspects of their personal development and their readiness for life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that pupils' personal development is further enhanced.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2012.