Duchy of Lancaster Methwold CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in this small, caring school. They have warm and positive relationships with their peers and adults. Pupils trust adults to help them with their worries.

This helps them to feel safe. Pupils behave well and encourage others to make the right choice to be 'ready, safe and respectful.'

Pupils learn a varied curriculum.

They look forward to the carefully selected activities that staff prepare. Pupils know it is important to try their best. Staff have high expectations for pupils, and as a result, pupils achieve well.

From Reception, children are interested in their learning. They listen well to the staff and are keen to learn and try n...ew things. They like asking questions and talking about what they learned from their reading books.

For example, pupils speak positively about the variety of books they read and how it helps them to be more understanding of different cultures.

Pupils enjoy a range of enrichment opportunities; this helps them to appreciate life outside of the village and enables them to understand their place in modern Britain. For example, the visit to London for a theatre workshop, helps pupils to understand different roles in the theatre.

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

The school has implemented a well-ordered and ambitious curriculum. From reception, it sets out what pupils will learn and when. The curriculum builds on prior learning.

This allows pupils to revisit learning and consolidate their understanding of difficult concepts. Staff have high expectations, and as a result, pupils achieve well.

Teachers ask questions during lessons to check pupils' understanding.

Staff check what pupils know and can do before they start a new unit, and this informs their teaching. In most subjects, teachers use their subject knowledge to routinely check on pupils' understanding before moving on to new learning. They make effective use of questioning to find out what pupils know and use this information to inform future learning, addressing any errors quickly.

However, in some instances, staff lack the necessary subject knowledge. This prevents them from delivering content correctly and checking pupils' knowledge. Consequently, this hampers the progress that some pupils make across the curriculum.

Reading is a high priority in the school. The reading curriculum is well established. From early years, children explore a range of carefully chosen high-quality texts to provide an understanding of literature and the wider world.

Pupils enjoy reading and confidently discuss and debate the text. From Reception, phonics is taught consistently. Children learn the sounds that letters represent and use this to decode simple words.

Some staff do not have the knowledge to teach the early reading curriculum as leaders expect. Pupils who need extra help to keep up with the programme are identified quickly and get the support they need to become confident readers.Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is well established.

The school identifies pupils' needs quickly. A range of support is put in place to ensure that pupils can access the curriculum and achieve well. Staff have positive relationships with pupils.

They are highly skilled at understanding pupils' complex needs and providing bespoke support. For example, pupils with SEND benefit from learning breaks, which help them sustain their concentration.

Reception-age children settle quickly and are happy in their learning.

Staff use their knowledge of the curriculum well to design activities that develop children's knowledge. However, occasionally, they do not develop children's vocabulary well enough. This means that children do not develop the depth of knowledge they need for Year 1.

From Reception, children learn the importance of following the school rules. Pupils behave well in lessons and when moving around the school. Pupils are diligent.

They enjoy their learning and, as a result, listen well and focus on their learning. The school monitors attendance closely. It works closely with families and external agencies to support families so that attendance improves quickly.

Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy responsibilities such as house captains and school council. The school's wide range of experiences on offer to pupils develops their understanding of their place in the community.

Pupils learn about how to stay safe online and how to keep themselves safe when at home and crossing the road. The school makes good use of community links such as the local 'Mini Methwold' role-play centre. This develops pupils' knowledge of real-life experiences from Reception.

The trust supports the school well. Challenge and support are at the centre of improvement with staff. Staff are proud to work at the school.

They appreciate the range of professional development opportunities on offer to them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers are less secure in their subject knowledge.

They do not present learning clearly or check that learning is secure. Pupils find it difficult to remember their learning and have gaps in their knowledge because of this. The school needs to ensure teachers deliver the planned curriculum effectively to help pupils know more and remember more.

• In some areas of learning in the early years, staff do not develop children's vocabulary in line with curriculum expectations. When this is the case, children do not develop the range of vocabulary they should. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to support children's acquisition of important vocabulary.