Gobowen Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Determined and skilful leadership by the headteacher, together with good management by the senior leadership team and governors, have brought about big improvements to teaching and learning.

Children make good progress in the early years because literacy, communication and language are well taught. Children are well prepared for learning in Year 1. Pupils make good progress, especially in Key Stage 2, because of improvements in the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics.

This has resulted in above average attainment for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs ac...hieve well. Behaviour is good. Pupils are caring and act responsibly.

They are respectful to each other and to staff. Pupils feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe. They say there is very little bullying.

Any thoughtless behaviour is quickly dealt with by staff. Teaching is good. Pupils try hard and are well engaged in lessons because these are enjoyable.

Teachers' marking helps pupils to know how to improve their work. Teachers and their assistants work well together to reflect on and improve their practice. Governors have a well-informed understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development.

They receive detailed information from the headteacher about the school's work and pupils' progress, and visit the school regularly. All teachers have specific responsibilities for subjects or aspects of the school. They support the headteacher's and the governors' drive for improvement.

The school is well placed to improve further. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Pupils in Key Stage 1 do not achieve as well as those in Key Stage 2, especially in reading and writing. Teachers do not always set work that is matched to pupils' abilities, especially in Key Stage 1.

As a result, the most-able pupils are not always challenged enough and the least able do not always have enough support. Pupils in Key Stage 1 do not always have access to the resources they need to help them when they get stuck. Not all teachers assess new learning in lessons sufficiently frequently.

As a result, pupils do not always make the progress they could.

Information about this school

This school is a smaller than the average-sized primary school. The pupils predominantly come from White British backgrounds.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium is lower than average. This is additional government funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. Children in the early years attend the Reception class full time. Dependent on numbers in each year group, pupils are taught in some mixed-aged classes.

Currently pupils in the Reception year and some in Year 1 are taught together, and a similar arrangement applies to Years 1 and 2, and to Years 5 and 6. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are taught in separate classes. Before-school and after-school care is available for pupils each day.

The site is shared with a children's centre which is run independently of the school and inspected separately. The current headteacher joined the school as acting headteacher shortly after the previous inspection. Her permanent appointment was made in January 2014.