Garton-on-the-Wolds Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

All policies include the strapline 'Respect, Aspire, Achieve', and these aspirations run through the school like a golden thread. This is a small school with big ambitions for pupils' achievement in all aspects of their learning.

Pupils achieve well in a range of subjects, including music, reading and mathematics, but some pupils do not achieve as well as they should in some other curriculum subjects.

Pupils behave well, and they are kind, respectful and courteous. All staff get to know each pupil and their family very well in this small school.

This helps pupils to feel happy and safe at school.

The school makes the most of its rural location. Pupil...s enjoy using the extensive grounds.

There is an outdoor table tennis table, and pupils take turns politely when they play together. Pupils understand the importance of developing a healthy and active lifestyle. The youngest children ride scooters and bikes outdoors.

They develop balancing skills negotiating the sloped playground. The school expects all children to be able to ride a bicycle by the time they leave Reception Year, so they plan the curriculum to help children achieve this.

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

The school recently improved the curriculum for reading and mathematics.

Pupils in the early years and key stage 1 benefited from this change straight away. As a result, they achieved well in the national tests in 2023. Older pupils did not have this advantage when they were younger pupils.

They did not achieve as well in the Year 4 multiplication tables check or the Year 6 national tests last year. Current pupils are catching up quickly. Work in pupils' books shows that all pupils are achieving well in English, mathematics and science now.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils.

In some wider curriculum subjects, pupils achieve well. In a few foundation curriculum subjects, the school's expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low.

There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use and apply their extended writing skills across the wider curriculum. Curriculum design is equally ambitious in every subject, but in some curriculum subjects this design is not being implemented well enough. This is limiting the progress that older pupils are making in these subjects.

The school uses assessment well in English, mathematics and science. Assessment is used precisely in the early years. The school questions children skilfully to check their understanding.

For example, children solve real-life mathematics problems, such as calculating numbers within 10, through use of the class visual register. Children are achieving well in the early years.

The school identifies pupils with SEND accurately.

It adapts the curriculum well to help pupils with SEND achieve. The school organises speech and language therapy to help children who need this. Children are trained to develop self-care skills independently.

A dentist visits to teach children about cleaning their teeth. Dental checks have been scheduled for all pupils in school.

There are high-quality resources that go with the new phonics curriculum.

Consequently, reading books are perfectly matched to pupils' phonics knowledge and skills. The school identified that, despite this, some pupils with SEND, and other reluctant readers, lacked confidence when reading aloud. The school introduced a 'reading dog', called Colin, and organised sessions for pupils to read to him.

Even the most reluctant readers are very eager to read to Colin when he is in school. This has really improved pupils' confidence and enjoyment of reading.

All staff stated that they are proud to be members of staff at this school.

They feel valued by leaders. The settled staff team provides continuity for pupils. Pupils behave well in lessons and staff say that it is a pleasure to teach them.

The curriculum for pupils' personal development is ambitious. Older pupils enjoy two residential visits, one to an outdoor adventurous activity centre and the other to the capital city. Pupils wrote persuasive letters to apply for a place on the Wimbledon tennis trip.

The school ensures that all school visits enhance the curriculum.

The school provides well for pupils' moral education. Pupils learned about D-Day and observed a minute's silence on the 80th anniversary.

They are learning to be responsible citizens by raising funds for charities such as the air ambulance service. Pupils learn about having a moral purpose to help those who are less fortunate than themselves.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The work set for key stage 2 pupils in some foundation curriculum subjects is too easy. As a result, some pupils in key stage 2 are not achieving as well as they should in these subjects. Leaders should increase the level of challenge, including giving key stage 2 pupils more frequent opportunities to use and apply their extended writing skills, to enable all pupils to achieve the school's ambitious curriculum intent.