Goodnestone Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Goodnestone is a happy, friendly little school. It has a strong sense of togetherness.

Staff are warm and friendly. Pupils are understanding and accepting of others' differences. They learn to work and play together, treating each other with care and respect.

In this very small community, close relationships lead to both tight bonds and occasionally fractious friendships. The school works patiently to try to resolve any issues. As one parent aptly put it, 'It is a real community and everyone supports each other.'



The school wants the best for all pupils. Staff sensitively adapt their approach using their excellent knowledge of each individual. Pupi...ls are motivated to do well.

Classrooms are calm places of focus and concentration. Pupils find learning fun, from regular lessons at the farm to messy activities recreating representations of the digestive system. Pupils learn well across subjects, but the school could help them make the quality of work in their books even better.

Pupils have a say in the running of the school and choice of clubs. This has led to a wide range of activities from sporting experiences to the Rubik's cube club, as well as to the formation of the school's rock band, 'Duck Tape'.

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

Pupils learn and develop well academically, personally, socially and emotionally.

Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). From early years onwards, children develop a real confidence in their surroundings. Pupils respond well to the nurturing relationships that adults foster.

Pupils' conduct frequently shows their kindness and compassion.

SEND is always a high priority here. It is an area of expertise and a focus of ongoing staff development.

Early years children with SEND are helped to feel secure in the predictable routines. The school works closely with other professionals, parents and carers, relentlessly pursuing what is in each pupil's best interests. There is a clear commitment to making an extra effort to meet a range of complex needs, including through developing highly individualised bespoke approaches.

The school has thought carefully about what it wants pupils to learn and when. These plans are continually honed. No time is wasted from the start.

The enticing and well-organised early years environment promotes children's curiosity and attention. Through this, children start to develop helpful independence, as well as increasing focus during more formally taught sessions. Across the school, teachers use their own secure subject knowledge to constantly check pupils' understanding.

Teachers' explanations and demonstrations are helpful and clear.

The teaching of early reading and phonics is systematic and successful. The school is determined that all those who can learn to read do.

The school persists with any targeted support that is necessary, even if it takes some pupils a little longer to get there. From early years onwards, it is not uncommon to see pupils engrossed in a book.

Pupils increasingly build and connect a wide range of learning, although some of their work does not reliably reflect this positive progress.

Sometimes this is because particular tasks do not offer them the best chances of success. Some pupils are not given enough practice to write neatly and fluently with ease. Also, long gaps where pupils are not taught some subjects make it harder for pupils to remember what they have learned and limit the chance to practise skills regularly and get better.

The school has already identified this and has imminent plans to address it.

Opportunities to promote and encourage pupils' personal development are threaded throughout daily teaching and wider enrichment activities. Pupils were involved in developing their own relationships policy and 'Children's Charter' that they will be 'ready, respectful and safe'.

The school has built a wealth of external partnerships to improve and enrich the school's offer. In turn, pupils are shown their own possible place and contribution as part of a wider community, for example through anti-litter campaigns, local horticulture and charitable events for international causes.

There has been a marked improvement in attendance rates this year.

Far fewer pupils frequently miss school. The school closely analyses the reasons behind absences so that it can tackle the right things in the right way. This is making a big difference, but there is still more work to do.

Leaders are frank and insightful about what is going well and where more work is needed. They set high expectations of themselves, but work sensitively with staff to manage the pace of improvement. Well-being is a rightful high priority at all levels.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils are not consistently well supported to produce work of a high quality. Sometimes, tasks do not fully support pupils to show what they have learned.

Some pupils are not given enough help and practice to develop the necessary physical dexterity to write neatly and fluently. These factors limit the quality and quantity of what they can produce. The school should support pupils to increase their transcription fluency and stamina, set tasks that match the intended learning closely and maintain consistently high expectations of the work that pupils can produce.

• Some subjects are delivered in intensive bursts with sometimes long gaps in between. This makes it harder for pupils to retain and recall aspects of important knowledge and doesn't always give pupils enough opportunity to practise and build valuable skills as strongly as they might. The school should implement plans to reorganise how the curriculum is delivered to optimise the chances for pupils to consistently build on their previous learning towards even better outcomes.

• Despite a marked improvement, some pupils still miss too much school. This limits their potential progress and means they do not do as well as they otherwise might. The school should continue to use all possible and relevant strategies in working with parents to raise attendance further so that no pupil is unnecessarily disadvantaged by their absence.