East Wold Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

East Wold Church of England Primary School is a school that knows its strengths and aspects that need to be improved.

There is a clear and ambitious vision, but that vision has not yet been realised.

Most pupils are happy to attend this school and feel safe. They know that support is available if they have worries about anything.

Staff teach pupils to share any concerns they might have.

The school has high expectations of all pupils and wants the very best for them. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils enjoy meaningful opportunities to contribute to the life of the school. For example, pupils... lead the writing and drama clubs. However, the impact of the curriculum on the outcomes of statutory assessment is not yet consistent.

Attendance is high and most pupils behave well. They pay attention to their teachers and work well together. A small number of pupils do not behave well.

This can impact on their learning and occasionally that of other pupils.

Some parents raised concerns about disruptive behaviour. The majority of parents and carers are happy with the school.

As one parent commented, 'My children have benefited from the committed and dedicated staff. They clearly care for the children and try their best for them.'

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

The school has faced some significant challenges since the last inspection.

This has included the management of disruptive behaviour. The school has taken some decisive action, but behaviour requires further improvement.

There are some clear strengths in this school.

Reading is a top priority. The school has chosen an early reading programme to meet the needs of its pupils. This begins as soon as children start in the early years.

The programme is now well established and successful. Regular training helps to ensure that all staff have the skills they need to teach reading. If any pupils struggle to keep up, teachers are quick to give them extra help.

The school encourages a love of reading in different ways. For example, visits by 'mystery readers' help to raise excitement levels. Pupils say they enjoy reading.

As one pupil said, 'You don't have to go somewhere to read, because it can take you anywhere in your imagination.'

Other curriculum areas are also well planned and teachers have good subject knowledge. Most pupils enjoy their learning.

For example, pupils talk with enthusiasm about using musical instruments in composition. In some lessons, pupils engage very well with their learning. Reception-age children pay careful attention when colour mixing to produce daffodil paintings.

They can discuss their learning with adults. In another class, skilled questioning helps pupils deepen their mathematical understanding of mass. However, the implementation of the curriculum for all pupils is inconsistent.

Also, pupils report that poor behaviour can occasionally disrupt learning in some lessons. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge across the curriculum in a secure way. They do not achieve as well as they could.

This is reflected in the outcomes of statutory assessments, albeit in some year groups the numbers of pupils are small. However, there are curriculum areas where intent and implementation have improved.

Moreover, there are clear processes for checking the learning of all pupils.

This is evident in the early years and in key stages 1 and 2. Beginning in the early years, the school is quick to identify pupils with SEND. Staff provide support to help these pupils access the curriculum.

The school keeps a close eye on this support to ensure that pupils' needs are being met.

Pupils enjoy their learning experiences beyond the classroom. Most pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, attend at least one club.

These include choir, mathematics and sports clubs. Pupils enjoy leadership responsibilities, such as play leaders and faith followers. The school is working to broaden pupils' horizons in different ways.

For example, the visit of an explorer to support pupils' work on Ernest Shackleton promoted a sense of adventure. Other work to enrich the curriculum has included working with a Chinese calligrapher. This supported pupils' learning about the Shang Dynasty in history.

Enrichment in the early years includes opportunities for children to develop their confidence. For example, children are very excited to present a 'Big Bad Wolf' puppet show. Pupils are respectful of others with different backgrounds.

They can talk with maturity about British values, including tolerance and individual liberty.

Governors keep a close eye on how well the school is doing. They have an accurate picture of current strengths and areas which need to improve.

Governors work well with school leaders. The local authority is also providing effective support. This is helping to move the school forward.

The school has taken steps to manage staff workload and support staff well-being. Some staff members feel well supported, while others continue to have concerns about workload and well-being.

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, the implementation of the intended curriculum is not closely matched to the school's high expectations. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that the implementation of the curriculum is consistent across all subjects and in all classrooms to raise pupils' achievement.

• The behaviour of a small number of pupils falls significantly below the high expectations of the school. This impacts on their learning and occasionally that of other pupils. The school should ensure that the behaviour policy is implemented consistently by all staff to help all pupils behave well.

• The school's strategies for managing staff workload and supporting staff well-being are not yet fully effective. As a result, some staff do not feel well supported. The school should establish clear processes for communicating with staff about strategies to manage workload and for liaising with staff about how effective these are.