Highampton Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at this small, rural school. Pupils treat each other with kindness. They are happy and safe.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils live up to these expectations. They behave well in class and around the school.

At playtimes activities such as 'wheelie Wednesday', where a variety of scooters and bikes are available for pupils, encourage all pupils from across the school to play together.

Pupils contribute to the life of the school. They are proud to attend the school improvement club.

They discuss ways they can improve the school site and community. School wildlife champions work together with charities to... restore and develop the school pond.

The school nurtures pupils' talents and interests.

For instance, they enjoy gardening club. Pupils grow and sell plants and vegetables at events to raise money for the school. Pupils learn musical instruments, such as keyboard and guitar.

They get to showcase their talents at the annual trust 'festival of hope'.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Every parent who responded to the Ofsted parent survey would recommend the school.

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

The school and trust has thought carefully about how the curriculum can meet the needs of pupils, including children in early years, in a very small school. The curriculum is suitable for pupils who are taught in mixed aged classes. The school has made deliberate decisions about what pupils will learn in a wide range of subjects.

This starts in the early years, where the curriculum is designed carefully to prepare children for learning beyond Reception. Children learn alongside pupils in key stage 1. The older pupils model routines and good habits for listening and following instructions.

As a result, attitudes to learning are positive.

In many subjects, the school identifies the knowledge and skills that pupils will learn. For example, in mathematics pupils in Year 4 order complex fractions.

By the time pupils are in Year 6, carefully sequenced teaching enables them to explore the relationship between fractions and decimals confidently. However, in a small number of subjects, the school has not considered how the curriculum in Year 1 builds on what pupils have previously learned in the early years.

The trust has invested significantly in making sure staff are skilled in teaching phonics.

Reading is a top priority in early years and across the school. Children begin learning to read from the first day in Reception. They read books which carefully match the sounds they know.

This means they can practise becoming accurate and fluent readers quickly.

The school promotes the love of reading from an early age and encourages parents to share a love of reading with their children. For example, the 'reading cafe', where parents are invited to find out how the school teaches reading.

This encourages parents to make a positive contribution to pupils' reading.

Assessment is used well to check what pupils know and remember. For example, the school use assessment to check pupil's phonics progress.

Any pupils that fall behind are given swift support to catch up. The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. In the classroom, learning is adapted, where necessary, to meet the needs of these pupils.

The school makes pupils' broader development a high priority. Pupils attend visits and residential trips that bring the curriculum to life. For example, the school organises a Year 6 residential trip to Normandy.

Pupils practise speaking French in real-life situations. The curriculum for pupils' personal, social and health education (PSHE) is well thought through. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and know what it means to be a good friend.

Through their actions and conduct, pupils demonstrate some of the fundamental British values. For example, they have a clear understanding of equality and respect. Pupils learn about a range of faiths through religious education.

However, they do not know as much as they could about the lives of others from different families and cultures.

Trustees have an accurate view of the school's strengths. They are strongly committed to improving the school further.

Staff speak highly of the development opportunities the trust provides and feel that leaders are mindful of their workload. Staff are proud to work at the school and for the trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not considered how the curriculum builds on what pupils have learned in the early years. This slows pupils' learning. The school and trust should ensure that in all subjects, the curriculum in Year 1 links to what pupils have learned in the early years.

• The school's efforts to improve pupils' understanding of lives different from their own are not embedded. As a result, pupils' knowledge of how people might live beyond their community is not as strong as it could be. The school and trust should enable pupils to gain a broader understanding of diversity beyond their community.

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