Cheriton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Cheriton Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils of all cultures and backgrounds thrive in this friendly and welcoming school. They are exceptionally well cared for and nurtured. One parent said: 'Cheriton is a place where every child matters and is valued.'

Pupils are very happy at school. They respect and get on well with their teachers. Leaders and staff want the very best for all pupils' academic and personal achievements.

Pupils enjoy learning because teachers make it interesting. The school motto of 'Learning to Live' drives all that the school does.

Pupils behave extremely well.

Pupils say that b...ullying is not allowed in school but if any does happen, adults sort it out quickly. Pupils listen very carefully to their teachers and each other. They understand and are, in general, shining examples of the school's values, including being kind at home, at school and in the community.

Pupils play and work together very well.

Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils who join or leave the school at different times settle very quickly.

This is because their social, emotional and learning needs are met very successfully. This includes pupils from service families. All staff pay great attention to pupils' well-being and know pupils really well.

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

Leaders, staff and governors have high ambitions for all pupils. A strong team of staff work effectively together. They provide pupils with a broad and vibrant curriculum.

They carefully consider what pupils will learn and when, so that pupils build on their skills and knowledge over time.

Teachers' subject knowledge is mostly good. Their lively and enthusiastic teaching motivates and inspires pupils.

A group of pupils commented that teachers 'help us achieve things we didn't think we could do.' Teachers give pupils lots of opportunities to discuss their thoughts and opinions. Pupils show their enthusiasm in all that they do.

For example, children in the Reception Year were bubbling with excitement on a shape hunt outside. They were able to identify and name the 3D shapes they discovered. All the pupils spoken to said they loved mathematics.

Their enjoyment helps them learn and remember more.

Reading has a very high profile in the school. The teaching of phonics is skilful and effective.

Children quickly begin to learn their sounds as soon as they start in the Reception Year. Teachers read to pupils every day to foster a love of reading right from the start. Pupils are given effective support to catch up if they are not learning as quickly or as well as they should.

Pupils' love of reading continues as they get older. Teachers' enthusiasm for reading inspires pupils to become motivated, enthusiastic and independent readers. For example, pupils in Year 6 were thoroughly enraptured by the book 'Carrie's War', which links to their study of the Second World War.

Pupils in Year 5 were able to predict what might happen in the story they were reading because teachers encouraged meaningful discussion, based on pupils' prior learning.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of activities that help them develop as well-rounded individuals. They are caring and compassionate.

Pupils understand, accept and respect difference. They learn about the variety of cultural heritages in the school and celebrate a variety of religious festivals. Their lives are enriched by trips and visitors to the school and close links with the local and wider community.

Pupils learn a lot about the natural environment, as well as developing confidence, resilience, teamwork and creativity, in the well-used school grounds.

Leaders hold the same high ambitions for all groups of pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The needs of all groups and individuals are carefully looked at.

All pupils have the same opportunities to learn. Pupils achieve well. Leaders are working hard to make sure that with greater challenge in lessons, more pupils could be taught to know and remember even more, so that they achieve as much as possible.

In subjects other than mathematics and English, curriculum leaders need to make sure that teaching consistently builds on what has been taught before.

Staff feel very well supported by leaders and are proud to work at the school. Leaders, including governors, are very attentive to the well-being and workload of staff.

Staff feel trusted and know that their expertise is valued and that they are encouraged to develop professionally. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the leadership and all that the school offers them and their children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding has a very high priority in the school. The senior leadership team ensure that staff training is up to date. Staff know their pupils very well and so are immediately alert to any signs that may mean a pupil is troubled.

Staff know exactly what action to take if they have any concerns and are vigilant in doing so.

Leaders are relentless in their work to get timely and appropriate support for individuals and their families and go the extra mile to do so. Their work has a significant impact on improving the lives of vulnerable pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

There is a curriculum overview in place for all subjects. It is ordered logically and includes end points. In some foundation subjects, teaching does not always enable pupils to grasp fully the complex concepts required to reach more ambitious end points.

Curriculum leaders need to have a greater role in making sure that teachers put into practice the agreed progression in their subjects. To ensure that pupils achieve as well as they possible can in all subjects, there should be consistency in the challenges and demands of the work given to pupils so that they learn and remember more.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged Cheriton Primary School to be good on 27–28 January 2011.

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