Ireleth St Peter’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ireleth St Peter's CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to attend this small, welcoming school.

They are well looked after by caring staff who know them and their families well. Pupils are well mannered and polite; they are eager to talk about what they like about their school.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' learning and behaviour.

Pupils enjoy their lessons and talk confidently about what they are learning. They are keen to learn and are focused in their lessons. This is an inclusive, supportive school where pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disa...bilities (SEND), achieve well.

Pupils are kind to each other. Leaders deal with bullying and name-calling swiftly and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Pupils benefit from a vast array of extra-curricular activities, including clubs, trips and visits to places carefully linked to their learning. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their participation in a national choir competition. They are encouraged to attend clubs such as chess, tennis and drama.

Leaders plan opportunities for pupils to be active citizens in their local community, for example singing at a local residential home for the elderly.

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

Leaders are ambitious for every pupil and have ensured that the curriculum in all subjects starts from the early years. Leaders have carefully considered the challenges of mixed-age classes.

The precise knowledge and vocabulary that leaders intend pupils to learn is clearly identified. Teachers know exactly what to teach and how to teach it. That said, in the early years foundation stage, leaders have not broken down in enough detail the precise knowledge that they want children to know and remember.

Consequently, teachers are uncertain about how children should best make progress within this phase.

Leaders have supported teachers well so that they gain expert knowledge of their subjects. This enables teachers to design lessons that spark pupils' interests.

Teachers revisit concepts with pupils before they teach new content. This means that pupils develop a secure understanding of key concepts over time. In most subjects, teachers use assessment strategies effectively to check what pupils know and to spot any misunderstandings.

In this small school, subject leaders each take responsibility for a number of subjects. Leaders are honest that assessment in some foundation subjects is less developed than in others. This means that teachers are less certain about how well pupils are learning in these subjects.

As a result, some pupils miss learning something important without teachers knowing.

Leaders understand the importance of teaching pupils to read well. They have prioritised creating a culture where pupils develop the skill to become lifelong readers.

As soon as children in the early years start school, leaders invite parents into school to share a 'bedtime' story and to model how to support with reading at home. Pupils are taught phonics through a carefully sequenced programme, which starts in the Nursery and Reception Year. Staff teach children to listen carefully and recognise sounds.

They closely track the letters and sounds that pupils know, to identify any gaps in their learning. Pupils, including those with SEND, are given reading books that match the sounds they have learned. This helps pupils to practise their phonics.

Teachers quickly identify pupils who need extra help with reading. Pupils receive immediate support that helps them to catch up quickly. Teachers are passionate about the books that they share with their classes.

Pupils love being read to by their teachers.

Leaders have clear systems in place to identify those pupils with SEND. They identify their needs quickly and accurately.

This helps teachers plan effective support and adapt the delivery of teaching. Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND, and disadvantaged pupils, thrive.

Pupils at Ireleth St Peter's are exceptionally well behaved. Adults' high expectations of behaviour permeate the whole school, from classrooms to playtime. Pupils display highly positive attitudes to learning.

Older pupils are excellent role models for younger pupils in the school.

Leaders have thoughtfully designed activities that promote pupils' understanding of other faiths, cultures and perspectives. Pupils are taught about equality, discrimination and tolerance, and they typically say, 'No matter who you are or what you believe in, you should not be treated differently to others.'

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles, for example on the school parliament or worship council. In the early years, children enjoy a wide range of activities that help to ignite their curiosity about the wider world.

Governors are highly committed to the ethos of the school.

They support leaders well and work closely with them to ensure important decisions are made in the best interests of the pupils. Staff said that they feel proud to work at the school. They said that leaders have created a climate of professional trust.

Staff appreciate leaders' actions to help to manage their workload and look after their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff receive regular training and understand their responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. Staff know the pupils and their families well and are quick to identify when pupils show a change in behaviour. They use school systems well to report concerns.

Leaders are swift to respond when concerns arise.

Leaders use external services when needed to ensure the right support is in place for vulnerable pupils and their families.

Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

Considering the location of the school's proximity to open water, leaders have implemented swimming lessons for all year groups and work closely with the local water safety organisation. Pupils know who they can speak to if they are feeling worried or anxious.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not planned in sufficient detail the precise knowledge that they want children to be able to know in the early years.

As a result, some children may not make the progress they should. Leaders should identify what they want children to know and remember. ? In some foundation subjects, assessments do not inform teachers how well pupils are learning because they are not yet fully matched to the intended curriculum.

As a result, pupils can miss learning something important without their teachers knowing. Leaders should assure themselves that pupils are learning all the essential knowledge set out in their curriculum plans.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 in April 2014.