Fletching Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Fletching Church of England Primary School is, as its vision states, 'a small school with big ideas'. Staff create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Pupils feel part of the school family. They are given rich experiences beyond the curriculum that include community gardening projects and working with residents of the local care home. This helps to develop pupils' character and grow their talents and interests.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils. Staff across the two schools in the federation work together, building a network of support that broadens opportunities for pupils. Leaders use the school values to drive the curriculum.

Staff give pupils rich ex...periences both within lessons and beyond the classroom. All pupils develop the skills and knowledge that prepare them well for their next steps.

Pupils behave well.

This is because leaders have established routines that help pupils to understand the expectations of them. Pupils enjoy breaktimes and play positively with one another. If bullying takes place, adults act swiftly to resolve this.

Pupils feel safe. They know they can place a concern in the class worry box or talk to a trusted adult who will help them.

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

Leaders provide an ambitious curriculum with strong sequencing that is meaningful and relevant to the pupils.

It is supported by effective subject leadership and good teacher subject knowledge. From the early years onwards, teachers help pupils to build essential knowledge. Staff cater well for the needs of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) across the school.

Teachers adapt lessons to help pupils to achieve the best possible outcomes. As a result, all pupils develop the knowledge and skills needed across the curriculum.

Leaders use current educational research to guide practice and provide training for staff.

Teachers adapt the curriculum to help pupils to embed and use what they have learned. As an example, teachers creatively encourage pupils to reflect on what they have learned over the past weeks. This helps pupils to use what they know to help them in what they are now learning.

However, opportunities for pupils to reflect on more distant learning are limited. This means they sometimes forget about what they have learned previously in some subjects. The quality of pupils' work is not consistently strong in all subjects.

Leaders' work to assure themselves and governors about pupils' learning over time in subjects beyond reading and mathematics is not fully embedded.

Leaders have produced a well-structured reading curriculum. Teachers help the youngest pupils to build strong phonic skills and encourage them to use what they learn to help them to read unfamiliar words.

As pupils move through the school, teachers create an environment that helps them to develop their fluency in reading and gain a love of reading. Staff support pupils who have fallen behind in their reading to catch up quickly, for example by providing small-group sessions. Pupils use what they learn in reading lessons to strengthen their spelling and writing across the curriculum.

Staff encourage pupils to build strong and positive relationships with one another. From the early years, children show kindness towards one another because this is modelled by both adults and older pupils. If pupils become distracted in lessons, teachers deal with this sensitively and help pupils to regain their focus.

This ensures that pupils' behaviour does not disrupt lessons.

The provision for personal development is exceptional. Staff provide rich opportunities for pupils to think carefully about and debate local and global issues.

The school goes beyond what is expected to give pupils rich opportunities to develop as responsible, respectful and active citizens. Staff make sure pupils have a strong voice in this school and a deep understanding of democracy. For example, pupils elected to the school's pupil parliament worked with school leaders to improve the awareness of disability and diversity across the school.

There is a strong uptake in extra-curricular activities. These considerably enrich the pupils' experience. As an example, pupils requested a sign language club to develop their interest in understanding diversity.

Disadvantaged pupils are given priority in joining clubs and consistently benefit from this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure staff receive training that helps them to recognise when pupils are at risk of harm.

Leaders act on concerns swiftly and work closely with families to get the help they need. This includes working with agencies beyond the school to keep children safe.

Pupils know how to stay safe online.

This is because leaders have thought carefully about what pupils need to know and have built this into the curriculum. Staff help pupils to know about the risks posed online and in the ever-changing landscape of social media. There is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The monitoring of pupils' learning over time is not consistently strong across all subjects. As a result, pupils' work is not always of high quality. Leaders need to ensure that checks are in place to assure themselves that pupils retain and build on their learning over time across the curriculum and that governors have an accurate picture of achievement.