Ennerdale and Kinniside CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ennerdale and Kinniside CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Ennerdale and Kinniside Primary School told inspectors that their school is a happy community where they feel cared for and safe.

Staff strive to ensure that pupils achieve their very best. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Pupils behave well. Lessons are calm and well organised. Pupils play happily with their friends in the playground and join in after-school activities sensibly.

They treat each other kindly and are respectful towards adults. Older pupils are helpful role mo...dels for younger children.

Pupils know that staff will help them if they have any worries.

They are confident that if bullying happened, staff would quickly sort it out so that it didn't happen again.

Pupils benefit from the many regular after-school clubs on offer. These allow pupils to develop a wide range of skills and interests, such as improving the school garden in the 'wildlife-Wednesday' club or trying out healthy recipes in a cookery club.

Pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life.

Parents and carers would recommend the school to others. They said that children enjoy school and thrive there.

A typical comment was: 'Every day the children come out with smiles on their faces!'

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

Leaders have designed a purposeful and effective curriculum. They have made sure that pupils learn the full range of national curriculum subjects. Leaders are clear about what they want pupils to have learned by the end of each year group and by the time they leave the school in Year 6.

In most subjects, such as mathematics and reading, leaders have thought carefully about the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order they need to learn it in. This means that pupils can build on what they know and remember over time.

However, this is not the case in a small number of other subjects.

In addition, some subject leaders have not considered fully how children's learning in the Reception Year prepares them for what is to come in Year 1.

Teachers present information clearly and provide regular opportunities for pupils to revisit what they have learned before. For example, daily mathematics challenges help pupils to recall number facts quickly in lessons.

Staff use assessment systems well to identify those pupils who are struggling to keep up in their learning. They intervene quickly to provide effective support to help pupils to catch up.

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND swiftly.

Skilful staff support this group of pupils well, so that they can access the same curriculum as others and experience success.

Making sure that pupils learn to read fluently is a priority for all staff. Children are introduced to the joy of books as soon as they start in the Reception class.

All pupils, including children in the early years, benefit from listening to stories and rhymes read aloud by adults.

Leaders have planned a phonics curriculum that ensures that pupils learn new sounds in a logical order. Staff are well trained and highly skilled.

They deliver the phonics curriculum effectively. Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they start in the Reception class. Teachers make sure that the books that pupils read are closely matched to the sounds that they have learned.

Older pupils continue to receive effective support to continue to develop their reading skills. This means that pupils, including those with SEND, read with increasing accuracy. Most pupils become confident and fluent readers.

Pupils are keen to learn. They listen well and join in enthusiastically in lessons. Leaders and staff ensure that lessons are not disrupted by poor behaviour.

Pupils learn to value diversity, and they are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They learn about other faiths and cultures. Pupils are helped to become responsible citizens.

Leaders bring this learning to life for pupils. For example, pupils visit a magistrates' court and hold elections for the school council.

Carefully selected trips and residential visits enrich pupils' learning.

For example, pupils represented the school in an international plastic brick building challenge. Older pupils enjoyed paddleboarding, as part of a residential visit.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

They appreciate the way that leaders, including governors, strive to ensure that they have a good work-life balance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know leaders' safeguarding systems and procedures well.

They have regular training, which is kept up to date. This means that staff can quickly act on anything that may indicate a cause for concern.

Leaders know pupils and their families well.

This helps them to provide appropriate advice and support to those families who need it most.

Leaders and governors understand the risks and dangers that pupils may face. They make sure that the curriculum helps pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe.

For instance, pupils know how to keep themselves safe online, and know whom to speak to if they have any worries.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not considered fully the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This includes what children in the early years need to learn to be prepared fully for Year 1.

This hinders some pupils from building knowledge securely on what they already know. Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the essential knowledge that pupils should learn, from the early years to Year 6.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2012.