Elmsett Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils keenly attend this warm, friendly school. They want to attend every day because of the welcome and care they receive. They are rarely absent.

Pupils feel safe and respected. They trust staff to deal with any issues or concerns quickly. The school has a 'family feel', and all staff know the pupils well.

This is a school at the heart of the community.

Pupils engage well in lessons. They show positive attitudes to learning.

Pupils look out for each other. They play and learn thoughtfully and respectfully together. Older pupils are play leaders and house captains.

This helps to promote the caring feel of the school. Pupils take on positio...ns of responsibility, such as the school and eco-council, librarians, or sports captains. They take these roles seriously and take the opportunity to improve the life of the school.

The Christian values of 'courage, compassion, wisdom, service, respect, and truthfulness' underpin the school's ethos and vision. Pupils know that their actions make a difference to their community and the wider world. They are proud of their fundraising to support schools in Zambia and Nigeria.

Visits, such as to Colchester Castle to study The Romans, further enrich the pupils' learning.

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

The school has worked hard to redevelop the curriculum. This has been carefully designed around mixed-age classes.

School leaders have worked with trust specialists to ensure that important knowledge is identified and built over time. For example, in history, teachers revisit knowledge about timelines and chronology from previous years. Teachers ensure that pupils connect, retain and build upon this knowledge as they progress through the school.

Consequently, pupils are prepared well for secondary school.

Teachers are skilled at spotting pupils' misconceptions. They support pupils to correct these.

For example, in mathematics, teachers model different methods for solving problems and check that pupils can apply these successfully, before moving on. This ensures that pupils secure knowledge well.

The school has ensured that early reading is taught very effectively.

This begins from the start of Reception. As a result, pupils quickly learn to blend sounds to become fluent readers. Pupils who need extra support to catch up, receive it.

The library is attractive and welcoming. Pupils use it regularly. They talk enthusiastically about books they enjoy.

Their love of reading is further inspired by quiet reading times and being read to by their teachers.

Pupils learn the intended curriculum well. However, there is too much variation in the quality and depth of their writing across subjects.

Some pupils are less well versed at translating their ideas into their writing. Teachers do not always give pupils enough opportunities to produce high-quality writing.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive carefully tailored support.

This ensures that they are included and achieve well. For example, pupils with social and communication needs are supported to develop the confidence to engage in classroom discussion. This ensures they do not miss out.

Starting in the early years, children learn to share, take turns, and develop their communication skills. They learn to understand the world through a range of interesting and engaging activities, both indoors and outside. They cooperate happily together in the forest school and respect each other's feelings.

This forms the foundation for the kind and sociable way pupils behave across the school.

Pupils experience a broad range of personal development opportunities. These enrich the curriculum and bring learning to life.

For example, to learn about the history of transport, pupils travelled by train to a railway museum. There is a small selection of clubs, including sports and sign language, and lots of competitive sporting opportunities. Pupils learn about citizenship by making bird boxes with the village eco-council and installing them in the forest.

Pupils have an in-depth knowledge of Christianity. However, some pupils do not know enough about other faiths and cultures.

The trust and the local governing body have ensured school leaders are supported effectively as they continue developing and improving the school.

Staff work collaboratively with other schools in the trust. This enables teachers and subject leaders to share and develop expertise. The trust and governors challenge and support very effectively.

Staff are fulsome in their praise for the way leaders support their well-being and ensure their workload is manageable. Staff benefit from the advice, coaching and mentoring that helps them develop their teaching and provide a good quality of education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils do not always get enough opportunities to develop or extend their writing skills across the curriculum. As a result, the quality of pupils' writing is too variable and sometimes lacks depth. The school should ensure that pupils have opportunities to develop and practise their writing skills so that their writing is of a consistently high quality across the curriculum.

• Although pupils learn about a range of faiths and cultures, their experiences of faiths other than Christianity are less well developed. As a result, pupils do not have a secure knowledge of different faiths and cultures. Leaders should ensure that pupils' experiences of different faiths and cultures are further enhanced, so that they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain.