Guilsborough Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff greet pupils every morning on the front yard to welcome them into this small school.

Pupils are eager to attend and enthusiastic about what they will learn. The caring and happy ethos of the school makes pupils feel safe.

Teachers have high expectations of pupils.

They want pupils to achieve. Teachers tell pupils that they can achieve incredible things. This is seen in the work that pupils have recently done around 'little people, big dreams'.

Older pupils enjoy running lunchtime activities for younger children. Pupils from different year groups get on well. Pupils say that bullying does not happen and if it did teachers would not stand for it....

Pupils describe the school as accepting and inclusive, and a place where everyone is equal.

Most pupils take part in the wide range of sporting activities that the school prides itself on. They wear their house colours with pride on the days in which they study physical education (PE).

They know their practice and dedication will help them when they represent one of the four houses: air, earth, water or fire, in the highly anticipated house competitions.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that all pupils study. They have carefully thought about what they want pupils to know and how teachers can check that pupils remember this.

Leaders have made sure that the curriculum builds on what pupils already know. They have considered the links between some subjects and how this will help pupils strengthen their understanding. For example, they know that the study of plants in science in Years 1 to 3 will support pupils studying the Amazon rainforest in geography in Year 6.

This precise planning is not yet in place for all subjects. In a few subjects, pupils do not acquire this depth of knowledge.

Teachers have good subject knowledge for most of the subjects they teach.

In these subjects, they present important information clearly and match activities closely to what pupils need to learn. Teachers support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. As a result, all pupils achieve in most subjects.

Not all teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach effectively in a few subjects. Some pupils do not achieve as well as they should in art and design and technology.

Children start to read as soon as they start in Reception.

Teachers use a consistent approach to teach pupils to read. The books that pupils read are closely matched to the letters and sounds they know. Teachers use assessment well to check that pupils become better readers.

Pupils receive targeted support to help them to keep up if they are not learning to read as well as they should. Pupils develop a love of reading at this school.

Children get off to a good start in the early years.

Staff play with children and care for them. They model good manners so that pupils repeat them. Staff encourage pupils to use the correct vocabulary and full sentences.

This helps children develop their language as well as develop socially. Children develop their understanding of other areas through carefully chosen activities. For example, they learn about rocks and volume as they count the rocks it will take to make a pot of water overspill.

Pupils are well behaved. They are polite and show good manners. The classrooms and corridors are calm and orderly.

Pupils demonstrate many of the school's values such as respect. Pupils are proud to receive a headteacher's award for demonstrating these values.

Pupils' wider development is well planned for.

There are many leadership opportunities. The school council raises money and makes decisions on how to use some of this to improve the school. For example, by making the toilets more vibrant and colourful so they are inviting.

The head boy and head girl act as role models to other pupils. Pupils learn about different cultures, equality and relationships. They develop an understanding of British values.

Pupils debate moral and social issues such as Novak Djokovic's deportation from Australia and whether this was right or wrong. Pupils are well prepared to be active citizens in modern Britain.

Most staff are proud to work at this school.

They are of the opinion that leaders consider their workload and well-being.

The trust and the academy governance committee work in partnership to provide effective support. The trust holds school leaders to account.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured that all staff know how to record and report a concern about a pupil. Staff receive regular training and updates.

This keeps them up to date with the latest safeguarding developments.

Leaders are quick to provide support to pupils who are at risk. The safeguarding team evaluates the support these pupils receive regularly and checks if more can be done to help.

Leaders work with external agencies to support the most vulnerable pupils.

The curriculum educates pupils about the risks they may encounter, including online risks and how to stay safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In most subjects there are plans in place that identify the precise knowledge pupils will learn and how this will build on their prior knowledge.

Leaders have not done this yet for all subjects. Pupils do not build a depth of knowledge in these subjects. Leaders must ensure that plans for learning in all subjects identify the most important knowledge pupils must know and remember.

• Training to develop some teachers' subject knowledge in some foundation subjects has not yet taken place. Some teachers do not have good enough subject knowledge to help all pupils learn in a few subjects. Leaders should ensure that all teachers are trained and have the subject knowledge they need to teach each subject effectively.

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