Horsington Church School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Horsington Church School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Kelly Barge. This school is part of the Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Nikki Edwards, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Oliver Cofler.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and get on well together. They are well behaved and staff take good care of them. Pupils value the school's inclusive environment.

They are pleased that everyone looks after each ot...her. Pupils are confident that adults will always give help when needed. One pupil summed up the views of many when they described the school as 'wonderful'.

Pupils are keen to learn and they value the opportunities on offer to them. They talk enthusiastically about residential trips, activities such as bikeability training and chances to raise funds for good causes. Pupils feel valued, saying that the school celebrates all their achievements.

The school helps to prepare pupils for life beyond school.

Most parents and carers say that their children enjoy school. Pupils across the school, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), build a firm foundation in the basics in English and mathematics.

This prepares pupils well for later learning. The school wants pupils to do well in all subjects, and most of them do.

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

The curriculum at Horsington is ambitious and designed to ensure that all pupils are ready for the next stage in their education.

The school has carefully considered the skills, knowledge and key vocabulary that pupils need to learn. Pupils enjoy their lessons and can recall their previous learning. In most subjects, what pupils need to learn has been broken down into small steps so that pupils build their knowledge as they journey through the school.

For example, this can be seen in mathematics, where the school knows exactly what pupils need to learn from the Reception class to Year 6. This enables pupils to successfully gain new knowledge, building on what they have been taught before.

Improvements to the way pupils are taught to read are giving them a great foundation for later learning.

Right from the Reception Year, pupils develop a secure knowledge of letters and the sounds they make. Regular, focused practice enables most pupils to quickly become fluent readers. Pupils learn to write the letters at the same time as they learn to read them.

Sometimes, pupils are expected to write more than they are capable of. When this happens, pupil do not get the time that they need to get the basics of spelling and letter formation right.

The school has a family atmosphere in which pupils are well looked after and kept safe.

Pupils behave well in in lessons and around the school, treating adults and each other with care and respect. There are clear strategies in place to help pupils if they get stuck or struggle with their learning.

Most of the time, teachers adapt what they are teaching to enable all pupils to learn the most important information.

This can be seen in the support for older pupils who need extra help with their reading. However, sometimes some other curriculum subjects are too complicated. They do not support pupils to focus on the key information that teachers want them to practise or understand.

When this happens, disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND do not learn as much as they can.

Pupils are well supported to become responsible, respectful and active citizens. This helps them to develop an understanding of fundamental British values, such as democracy and equality.

The school has supported pupils to develop closer links with the local community. Older pupils want to make a difference. They can talk about how they have been able to make changes to school.

Planning fundraising events helps pupils to understand the needs of others.

Good school attendance is a high priority for the school. Improvements have been introduced to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly.

With support from the trust, a new approach to attendance has been introduced that alerts parents more quickly if their child's attendance impacts on their learning. As a result, pupils' attendance is improving.

The school has improved many aspects of the curriculum.

Together, leaders and staff have introduced new approaches and have clarified how they teach different subjects. Staff feel that these developments have been managed well. The trust has a very thorough understanding of the school.

They provide well-timed advice and support. The school benefits from the links it is making with other similar schools in 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 some subjects, the school is not clear about how new knowledge builds on what pupils already know. When this happens, pupils do not get the chance to revisit and deepen their understanding of the most importance information. The trust should make sure that staff receive the support they need to deliver all areas of the curriculum equally well.

• Some writing activities are too complicated. This means that pupils do not learn how to write letters or spell words accurately when they are in Reception and key stage 1. The trust should ensure that all pupils get the practice they need to become fluent in the basic skills of writing.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2015.