Clifton-upon-Dunsmore CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Children get an excellent start to school life in the Reception class. They rapidly develop a wide range of skills through imaginative activites which build on what they already know.

Pupils make exceptionally good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards by the end of Key Stage 2 are well above average. Teachers have extremely high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

They make sure that work is exciting and challenging so that pupils of all abilities enjoy their learning and try their hardest. Additional adults in the classroom are well trained and sensitively support pupils who benefit from additional help. ...Some are starting to make accurate assessments of how well pupils are progressing.

Pupils are taught to reflect on their learning from very early in the school. They develop skills to check how well they are doing and appreciate when they need more practise. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

They are polite and helpful around school and have highly positive attitudes to learning. They readily support each other in lessons and on the playground. Pupils have a very good understanding of how to stay safe in different situations.

They understand what to do if they feel uncomfortable about any situation outside school. Leaders rigorously check that teaching is of a high standard and pupils are achieving as well as they can. Any pupil in danger of falling behind is immediately helped to keep up.

All groups of pupils make very rapid progress and more able pupils achieve exceptionally well. Governors are very supportive and effective. They ask leaders challenging questions to make sure that the quality of teaching and learning is outstanding.

Governors visit regularly to check pupils' progress and talk to them about their views of the school. Pupils talk maturely about valuing their religious beliefs while respecting the beliefs of others. The atmosphere created by staff around school supports their especially strong spiritual, social, moral and cultural development.

Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. Music and drama are used extremely effectively to help pupils understand and appreciate British and other world cultures. Theatre trips and school performances help widen pupils' experiences and enable them to bring new ideas to their own work.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Children in the early years start in a full-time Reception class at the beginning of the year in which they are five years old. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average.

Most pupils are White British. The percentage of pupils who speak English as an additional language is also below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is one in fifteen and below average.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils (those supported by the pupil premium, which is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority) is one in twenty and below average. The deputy headteacher is currently nearing the end of her maternity leave and returns to school after the Easter break. She took part in the inspection.

The headteacher is a National Leader of Education and the literacy and numeracy leaders are Subject Leaders of Education. The school works closely with the Lawrence Sherrif Teaching School to support other schools in the area. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Also at this postcode