Horton St Michael’s CofE First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Horton St Michael's CofE First School is a small school with a big heart. There is a strong sense of community and team spirit.

Staff know pupils and their families very well. One parent summed up the views of many when they described the school as 'warm, friendly and nurturing'.

The school is ambitious for all pupils.

As a result, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), generally achieve well in most subjects. Pupils with SEND are well supported throughout the school. Staff are committed to ensuring that all pupils can learn the full curriculum.

Pupils feel safe and happy in school. They enjoy lessons and p...ay attention in class. Younger children are enthusiastic and excited by the new things that they learn.

Pupils are usually kind to each other at playtimes. Any disagreements are dealt with quickly by staff.

Pupils learn about different religions and cultures through the curriculum.

This helps prepare them for life in modern Britain. Pupils benefit from a range of clubs and trips, which broaden their experiences, such as visits to the theatre and places of worship. Staff also enable pupils to become active citizens, for example by raising money for charity.

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

Over the past year and a half, the school has undergone a period of change, with the arrival of new senior leaders. These leaders evaluate the school's strengths and areas for development accurately. As a result of this evaluation, the school has made several changes to the curriculum during this academic year.

This is having a positive impact. Leaders and staff are united in working together to ensure that the curriculum is continually improving, and this will continue to be a focus moving forward.

The school has ensured that reading is at the heart of the curriculum.

Children learn to read as soon as they are ready. Phonics teaching starts in Nursery, where children are exposed to songs and rhymes and learn to listen carefully for sounds. Leaders have ensured that all staff know how to teach phonics well.

Pupils regularly practise reading the letters and sounds that they have learned in books that are well matched to their ability. This helps them remember their phonics knowledge and apply it when they encounter unfamiliar words. Pupils who struggle benefit from high-quality interventions and become increasingly confident and fluent readers over time.

Books are used across subjects to enhance learning. Pupils are exposed to a wide range of texts, including those that promote their understanding of diversity.

Teachers have good subject knowledge and present information clearly to pupils.

The school's curriculum sets out the essential knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember. However, teachers do not always use assessment well enough to move pupils' learning on. At times, teachers do not adapt their delivery of the curriculum in response to what pupils know and can do.

This sometimes means that pupils do not make the progress that they could.

Pupils enjoy coming to school, and this is reflected in their positive attitudes to learning. Staff have consistent expectations of behaviour, both in the classroom and beyond.

However, at times, staff do not have high enough expectations for handwriting and presentation of work. As a result, pupils' work is sometimes hard to read and lacks pride.

The school provides effectively for pupils' wider development.

A programme of assemblies and lessons helps to keep pupils healthy and safe. There are many exciting opportunities to learn about careers pupils might like to have in the future. This helps to raise their aspirations.

Pupils develop their social skills by taking on responsibilities, such as being school and worship councillors. They have recently focused on the new playground toys the pupils would like to have.

The school is led and managed well.

There is a team of dedicated and committed staff members. They are proud to work together in the best interests of all pupils. Staff are particularly positive about the school's strong support for their well-being and workload, saying, 'Leaders consistently take workload into account when developing and updating procedures.'

Those responsible for governance know the strengths of the school well and understand where further improvements are needed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject curriculums have recently been revised.

In these subjects, the curriculum is not as advanced as it is in other subjects and pupils have not learned as much as they could. The school should continue to support staff to embed the revised curriculum so that pupils' progress is secured and pupils can remember and apply their learning over time. ? Sometimes, teachers do not use assessment well enough.

As a result, teachers do not adapt their delivery of the curriculum in response to what pupils know and can do. This slows pupils' progress. The school should support teachers to check pupils' learning systematically and use this to inform next steps in learning.

• Staff do not have high enough expectations for handwriting and presentation of work. As a result, work is sometimes hard to read and lacks pride. The school should ensure that teachers consistently have high expectations for handwriting and presentation in all subjects and classes.