Coombe Bissett Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The many changes in headship since the last inspection have had an impact on the rate of improvement. Despite this, leaders are ambitious for all pupils.

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well in some areas of the curriculum. However, the quality of education that pupils receive is not good enough across the whole curriculum.

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming and friendly school, which lies at the heart of its local community.

Parents are unwavering in their support for the school. They value the warm and caring relationships between adults and pupils. Pupils feel safe.

They know that adults... will help them if they have a worry or concern.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils are eager to demonstrate these.

However, some pupils do not attend school often enough. Leaders have put in place systems and processes to address this. The impact of this is too early to measure.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of rich experiences and trips. These include a visit to Salisbury Cathedral and a trip to the Southampton Pro music concert. Pupils value the extra-curricular clubs that are on offer, including dodgeball and football.

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

The interim headteacher has an accurate understanding of the weaknesses in the quality of education pupils receive. While improvement work has commenced, it is too early to see real impact. There are weaknesses in some subjects in the curriculum.

Leaders have not identified the important knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge well and develop gaps in their learning. For example, pupils in key stage 1 know that Florence Nightingale was a nurse but do not understand the chronology of this period of time, or why she was a significant figure.

Leaders prioritise reading. Pupils read a range of texts and talk positively about the books they read. Children learn to read as soon as they start in Reception Year.

There is a systematic approach to teaching phonics, which helps pupils to learn to read well. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. Staff regularly check on how well the pupils learn new sounds.

If a pupil falls behind, they receive the support they need to catch up.

In mathematics, the well-designed curriculum helps pupils to build knowledge well. This begins in Reception Year, where children learn to recognise numbers to 20.

Older pupils use their knowledge of number to add fractions with different denominators. As a result, they progress well through the curriculum.

Work to develop subjects within the wider curriculum is in its infancy.

Some subject leaders do not have the expertise to lead or design their subject effectively. They have not identified the key knowledge that pupils need to know and the order in which they need to learn it, including in early years. Pupils, including pupils with SEND, do not build their knowledge well over time.

In music, pupils have taken part in musical experiences. However, there are considerable gaps in what they know and remember. For example, pupils do not understand musical notation or have the knowledge to appreciate music from different traditions.

They have few opportunities to compose music.

Leaders have provided training to support teachers' use of assessment. However, some subject leaders have not been able to check how well teachers implement the curriculum or how effective assessment is.

As a result, leaders do not have an accurate understanding of where the gaps in pupils' knowledge are.

Pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning. Where there is low-level disruption, adults deal with it swiftly.

From Reception Year, routines are well established and understood. As a result, the school is calm and orderly. During social times, pupils play harmoniously together.

Pupils are keen to welcome visitors to their school.

Pupils' personal development is a priority. They have opportunities to develop their interests and talents.

Pupils enjoy the range of leadership roles they have, including house captains and worship leaders. They know that democracy is a fair process. The curriculum helps pupils to understand that everyone is different.

Pupils talk positively about different relationships. They understand that everyone is equal, celebrate difference and are respectful of one another.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The interim headteacher has introduced effective systems and processes to keep pupils safe. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibility. They know how to identify a pupil who may be at risk of harm and what action to take.

Leaders carry out the necessary employment checks on adults to ensure they are suitable to work with pupils.

Pupils say that they feel safe. They know how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn in every subject, including in the early years. As a result, pupils, including pupils with SEND, do not build their knowledge well over time. Leaders must identify the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn in all subjects so that pupils know and remember more.

• Assessment in foundation subjects is not effective in identifying what pupils know and can do. As a result, leaders do not have an accurate view of the gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders need to put in place effective assessment systems to understand what pupils know and use this information to determine future learning.

• In some areas of the curriculum, leaders are in the early stages of developing the subject they lead. They do not yet have a clear understanding of the effectiveness of the curriculum in their subject area. Leaders need to ensure that subject leadership is developed so that an effective curriculum is designed and implemented in all subjects.