Heddington Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Heddington Church of England Primary is a school where inclusivity shines through.

Staff ensure that each pupil is considered in everything they do. This reflects the school's values, which include respect, trust and friendship. The warm and nurturing relationships between staff and pupils are special.

Staff know and understand pupils' needs. As a result, pupils are happy and safe. They are extremely proud of their school and attend regularly.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary in lessons and during social times. They demonstrate high levels of respect and kindness towards one another. Pupils are exceptionally polite and well mannered.

They accept each o...ther's differences and show tolerance and empathy when their friends experience challenges.The school has high expectations for its pupils. Pupils are keen to learn and achieve well.

In most subjects the school makes checks to find out what pupils know and can do. This supports pupils to build on their previous learning. However, in a few subjects this is not yet the case.

The provision for pupils' wider development is outstanding. Pupils take pleasure in the rich opportunities on offer, such as music, drama and sports. These activities develop pupils' interests and talents.

The school provides significant pastoral support to pupils and their families. Parents are delighted with the school and appreciate all that it does for them.

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

The school's work to resolve previous weaknesses in the curriculum has been swift, thorough and effective.

It has strengthened the teaching of phonics and identified key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember across wider subjects. For example, pupils in geography confidently explain the concept of climate change and the impact on the thickness of ice in Greenland. The clear expectations of what pupils will learn ensure that in early reading, staff quickly identify any pupil who is at risk of falling behind and help them to keep up.

However, the school recognises that checks on what pupils know and remember are not fully established across all subjects. This means that in some curriculum areas, gaps in pupils' knowledge remain, including for children in the early years.

Learning in the early years provides children with a firm foundation on which to build.

Children learn how to socialise as well as how to work independently. They start to build their early reading, writing and mathematical knowledge. Behaviour and personal development in the early years are outstanding.

This is because staff form strong relationships with children and their parents prior to them starting school. Once in school, children settle quickly. They rapidly learn the behaviours expected of them.

This means that children are well prepared for Year 1.

The school is ambitious for pupils to develop a love of books and become fluent readers. Children begin their reading journey from the moment they start in the early years.

Staff are skilled in the teaching of phonics and early reading. They carefully select books to ensure they precisely match pupils' phonics knowledge. As a result, pupils develop into confident readers.

Story time is a firm favourite. Children and staff enjoy these times and are eager to participate.

Clear systems are in place to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly.

The school works closely with other agencies, such as speech and language therapists, to ensure pupils with SEND receive the right support and adaptations. This ensures equal opportunity to enable all pupils to develop a broad body of knowledge.

The school provides pupils with plentiful opportunities to expand and develop their interests and talents.

Pupils speak enthusiastically about how creativity, one of the school's values, is at the forefront of the activities on offer. They welcome the opportunity to express their creativity through art, music and drama. Pupils attend a range of clubs, which are open to all and are well attended.

The school's work to develop pupils' personal development is exceptional. It provides pupils with rich developmental experiences, such as the residential trip to the Isle of Wight. Such opportunities develop pupils' perseverance, resilience and leadership skills.

Pupils relish the roles and responsibilities offered to them. These include being house captains and reading ambassadors. Pupils learn how to become thoughtful and caring young people who respect and appreciate the diversity of the world in which they live.

The school is proactive in finding out what children and families need and how best to provide it. The school promotes positive mental health across the community and offers effective support and guidance to those who need them.

Leaders, including governors, have a detailed knowledge of the impact of the school's work.

Governors hold the school firmly to account for the quality of education and care pupils receive. Staff are extremely proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the school has not fully established effective systems of assessment that check pupils' learning. Therefore, pupils do not remember some of the most important knowledge they need for their subsequent learning. The school must ensure that assessment is effective to support pupils to know more and remember more.

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