Clavering Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Clavering Primary delight in their learning. They are highly motivated to work hard and do well. They particularly appreciate the huge range of opportunities for them to learn new things outside their day-to-day lessons.

For example, all pupils learn to play brass and other instruments during their time in the school. Pupils are enthused by the visitors who come to the school. Pupils talk excitedly about the authors and the local magistrate who have visited recently.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They are polite and friendly. They say that everyone is quickly made to feel welcome in their school.

Older pupils take their responsibilities such as he...ad girl and head boy or play leader seriously. They look out for the younger ones and help them play games at breaktimes. Pupils develop teamwork through regular visits to their woodland area.

Bullying is rare, but pupils are clear that adults sort out any problems quickly.

Children in early years make a very strong start to their education. They focus on activities for extended periods of time, and are highly motivated to take part in learning.

They are very well prepared to move into key stage 1.

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

Children access a high-quality curriculum for reading, writing and mathematics right from the start of Reception. Pupils say that their teachers help them remember learning by regularly revisiting and revising what has come before.

Staff are well trained to deliver these subjects confidently. Teachers ably adapt learning for individuals if needed. Pupils receive tailored support if and when they need it, such as play therapy, catch-up tuition or just time to talk.

Consequently, pupils learn and achieve well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Subject leaders have developed detailed progression maps.

These are used well by teachers. For example, pupils were seen to develop their use of timelines in history from Reception to Year 6, with each year group building on what had come before. However, there are areas of the curriculum that are not as fully developed.

Staff have not received the training to help them deliver leaders' intended curriculum, for example in French. In these aspects, leaders do not check precisely what pupils have learned.

Children in early years get off to an exceptional start in their education and development.

Adults know children well, and use routines to help children settle quickly. Children delight in learning rhymes and songs each week, choosing to re-read and perform these to others. Adults provide many opportunities for reading and writing in the well-planned classroom.

Children choose to engage in play using these.

Leaders have invested significant time and resources into making sure that reading is well taught in the school. Staff are effectively trained in the school's chosen reading programme.

The books that pupils are given to read are highly focused on the phonics that pupils are learning. Pupils are given lots of opportunities to read independently, as a group or with an adult. Pupils talk animatedly about their favourite books.

As a result of clear teaching and regular practice, pupils use their phonics knowledge to read, write and spell with increasing fluency.

Pupils' behaviour and focus on their learning are excellent. Staff support any pupils who find it harder to concentrate and focus in a positive way.

The curriculum enables pupils to learn a great deal about life beyond the local area. For example, when studying early Islamic culture in history, they link it to a mosque visit and compare modern day practice with that in the past. Leaders adapt the personal, social and health education curriculum to respond to events, such as when pupils had concerns about the war in Ukraine.

Leaders and governors have a clear vision for the school and think carefully about any new initiatives. Many aspects of the school's work have been developed and refined over several years. This means that staff are confident and clear about what is expected of them.

Staff are very positive about the professional development and support that they receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained and receive regular updates on safeguarding.

Leaders and staff know the pupils well and make sure that individuals receive care and support as needed. Leaders work well with external agencies when needed.

Pupils feel safe and are clear about what they need to do, for example when online, to continue to be safe.

All appropriate checks on adults who are in the school regularly are in place.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• While in areas of the curriculum pupils achieve well, there remain some aspects of the curriculum that require further development. Where this is the case, pupils' understanding lacks the depth of knowledge over time and this impacts on how well they achieve.

This leads pupils to not be able to apply their learning in more complex situations and contexts. Furthermore, planning, staff training, and leaders' monitoring are less well developed. Leaders need to ensure that they have systems to check that planning and teaching in all areas of the curriculum are equally ambitious and high quality.

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