Ewelme CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils achieve well and their attainment is consistently above average by the end of Year 6. Reading skills are especially strong.

Teachers have good expectations most of the time and they provide good challenge in lessons. Skilled teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils' learning. Pupils feel safe and thoroughly enjoy school.

They are polite, sociable and articulate, and they behave well. The lively and engaging curriculum makes learning exciting and motivates pupils well in most respects. The school has made good progress since the previous inspection and continues to improve quickly.

Leaders at all levels, incl...uding the governing body, ensure that there is no complacency. There has been good improvement in pupils' performance and leaders have a good track record for developing teaching. Leaders monitor provision thoroughly and have a good understanding of where improvement is still needed.

Consequently, the school is well placed to iron out the few remaining inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and in the curriculum. It is not yet an outstanding school because : While progress in writing is good overall, it is more uneven than in reading and mathematics. This is because pupils have insufficient opportunities to write in different subjects and handwriting is not taught systematically.

Although the vast majority of teaching is good, work in Year 1 is not always adapted well enough to take account of pupils' different starting points, especially in phonics (letters and sounds) lessons.

Information about this school

This smaller-than-average-sized primary school is located in a 15th century Grade 1 listed building. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a mixed-age Reception and Year 1 class.

The proportion of disabled pupils or those with special educational needs who are supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average. An above average number of pupils join or leave the school during each year as about a quarter come from Service families on the nearby RAF base.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support from pupil premium funding is above average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. Two out of four classes have new teachers in this academic year.