Horton CofE VA Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Horton is a school where the ethos of compassion, forgiveness and honesty shines through. Pupils appreciate all that the school has to offer, describing it as 'belonging to a giant family'.

Staff put pupils' happiness at the heart of all they do as they strive to ensure that pupils meet their full potential.

Horton offers pupils a calm and peaceful place to learn. The school is built on mutual trust and respect.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons and at social times is of a high standard. All staff are strong role models and have high expectations of pupils and themselves. As a result, pupils are motivated to work hard in their lessons.

During the inspecti...on, we spoke with lots of the pupils. They told us that they enjoy school and spoke excitedly about the many trips and visits which bring learning alive, for example school trips to the Cardiff museum to see Dippy, and Aerospace Bristol.

Pupils are confident that they are kept safe.

They are adamant that bullying does not exist in their school. This view is also shared by parents. Nonetheless, pupils know the action to take if bullying was to occur.

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

The new executive headteacher has been swift in identifying what needs to be done to improve the quality of education for pupils at Horton. As the head of St John's Mead, she uses the schools' partnership to best effect, sharing good practice to achieve the best outcomes for pupils. Parents and carers appreciate the approach of leaders.

All parents and carers who responded to the online survey would recommend the school.

Together with the staff, there is an urgency of improvement which pervades the school. Leaders, including governors, know that pupils' achievement is not as high as they would like.

Improvements put in place are strengthening pupils' achievement, most notably in reading, writing and mathematics.

Children in Reception are well supported. This allows them to get off to a strong start.

Transition arrangements from nursery are effective and children soon settle. The curriculum is well designed and excites the children. For example, they spoke with animation about their visit to forest school.

Children described in detail how they were making spiders out of clay, using twigs that needed to be the same length to make the legs. As a result of this strong provision, children in Reception are well prepared for Year 1.

Staff focus on teaching early reading skills from the moment children enter the school.

Staff are well trained and have the skills to teach phonics effectively. The recent implementation of a new phonics programme is having a positive effect on securing the necessary reading skills. This enables children to move on to reading books which match the sounds they know.

Many pupils soon become fluent and confident readers. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind are identified quickly and given the extra support they need to allow them to catch up.

Pupils demonstrate a love of reading and read every day both at school and home.

Teachers read to pupils every day. They read books that excite and support pupils' understanding across the subjects they study. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 are reading 'The Highwayman' which supports their understanding of their history topic.

The school's curriculum is strong. It covers the national curriculum well and is enhanced by a wide range of clubs, including archery, creative writing and music. The organisation of the curriculum enables pupils to build on what they already know, understand and can do.

Pupils understand what they are learning and why. They enjoy their learning and behave well in lessons. Pupils listen carefully and engage in their learning.

They are inquisitive and ask pertinent questions. This means that, typically, they can remember what they have learned. However, pupils are not always able to link their learning across other subjects, for example how what they have learned in geography links to their history work.

Leaders carefully check the achievement of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The leader for SEND is knowledgeable. She has the expertise to provide guidance to staff.

This support enables them to successfully support the pupils who need additional help. Lessons are well constructed, and tasks appropriately modified. Consequently, these pupils achieve well.

There are strong relationships between home and school. Parents understand the importance of their children's education. Most pupils attend school every day.

However, attendance is not as good as it should be and falls below the national average.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive regular updates on safeguarding in line with current legislation.

They know what to do if they have any anxieties or doubts about the welfare of a child. This knowledge and confidence minimises risk to pupils and keeps them safe. Leaders have a strong focus on ensuring that pupils' good emotional and mental health is a high priority in their work to safeguard pupils.

Parents who responded to the online survey, Parent View, value the care and help their children receive. Pupils are confident that they are well looked after and kept safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders are working hard to make sure pupils attend school regularly.

However, they acknowledge that, while improving, a few pupils do not attend as often as they should. Leaders need to ensure that the robust strategies they now have in place secure better attendance for all pupils. .

Leaders have designed a curriculum which is well planned. They are aware of the remaining adjustments needed. Leaders need to ensure that pupils are able to successfully apply and link their knowledge and understanding across relevant subjects.