Great Tew County Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that they are lucky to be part of this welcoming village school.

Staff expect a lot from pupils and guide them through their school life with kindness and grace. Pupils delight in learning, and all, including the youngest children, are eager scholars. They are spirited and confident learners who give all activities their full commitment and concentration.

Pupils' behaviour is impeccable. Their excellent manners stand out and contribute to the school's magical atmosphere. Pupils deserve to be proud of how they support each other.

They take care of their school and prize its impressive history and reputation.

Pupils of all abilities and bac...kgrounds have fantastic experiences in and out of the classroom. They learn a wide range of subjects in well-planned and interesting ways.

Plays, trips, music and sports are an integral part of what the school offers. Pupils learn about what it is like to be a child in different parts of Britain and the world. Staff help pupils to learn compassion and respect for all.

The headteacher and her team make sure that all pupils are safe. Pupils and families are supported exceptionally well if they feel anxious or have worries.

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

Since her appointment, the headteacher has made her mark on the school and its community.

She has ensured that pupils achieve high standards and that they receive a well-rounded education, which includes a full range of subjects. Parents and carers truly appreciate what the school offers their children. They have nothing but praise for the headteacher and her team.

Interesting themes and challenging moral questions provoke pupils' curiosity. These form the basis of thoughtfully designed series of lessons in all subjects. Teachers make sure that tasks and topics build carefully upon what pupils already know, understand and remember.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not held back. The school makes sure that they receive the extra help they need. Pupils with SEND catch up and learn well.

Adults working with the youngest children in Reception use their strong understanding of how children develop to kindle their imaginations and encourage confident communication.

Pupils and children love books and are confident and fluent readers. Children in Reception happily settle down with a book.

They diligently practise the sounds they have learned and try out simple sentences with determination. Staff make sure that throughout key stage 1, no one gets left behind when learning to read. Rhymes, songs and traditional tales encourage pupils' delight in the spoken word and story times.

Exciting, challenging fiction and non-fiction form part of pupils' reading diet throughout the school. Pupils think deeply about how reading relates to their experiences and the outside world. For example, I spoke to pupils in Years 5 and 6 about what it really meant to be strong and whether Harry Potter is just as strong as Beowulf.

When discussing and justifying their views, pupils skilfully searched for relevant moments and quotes. Pupils are keen writers, including the younger children, who respond enthusiastically when asked to write and try so hard to form their letters correctly. Older pupils enjoy using an extensive vocabulary and are confident about trying to find just the right word to express themselves.

Pupils told us about the rest of their learning, including their growing scientific knowledge. Pupils appreciate the support they get with learning their tables and using mathematical knowledge to work out problems. With equal commitment, pupils told us about how they love sketching in art.

The school contributes exceptionally well to pupils' character development. Staff make sure that pupils have rich opportunities to make a big impact on their community. Pupils think of less fortunate people through their donations to the food bank and their impressive charity work.

Pupils' physical and emotional health is taken seriously, right from the start in Reception. Games and physical exercise are central to pupils' daily life, and they participate with vigour.

Astute governors assure the school's continued success.

They are mindful of staff's workload, including that of the headteacher. They check that the school offers a high-quality education in all subject areas. With typical ambition, the headteacher carefully reviews the curriculum on a regular basis.

She is determined to build up pupils' knowledge and skills even more in all subjects. For example, the headteacher has rightly identified that pupils need to practise more basic drawing and sketching skills in art. She has also made a strong start with developing staff as leaders in their subjects.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff make safeguarding their priority and know what to do if they need to report any concerns. Records of child protection concerns are kept meticulously.

The headteacher has built up very close working relationships with other professionals who work to protect children. Staff put children's safety and welfare at the heart of everything they do. Checks on adults appointed to work in the school are carried out in line with the latest statutory guidance.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school offers a well-designed and broad curriculum which is reviewed regularly by the headteacher. The curriculum, including science and the foundation subjects, provides good coverage. The headteacher and governors should further develop teachers as subject leaders in order to reach even higher standards in all subjects.

. Leaders are determined to ensure that subject-specific content and skills in art enable pupils to be better prepared for secondary school. Leaders and governors should therefore ensure that the separate components of the art curriculum are systematically planned and sequenced to further enhance pupils' knowledge and skills.

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