Ivegill CofE School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to belong to this school. They live out the school's values of endurance, trust and community fully.

Pupils said that staff treat everyone as an individual. The school nurtures pupils with love and warmth. It has high aspirations for pupils' academic success.

This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils achieve well.

Pupils are overwhelmingly appreciative of the staff.

They feel safe, well cared for and happy at school. Pupils behave extremely well during lessons and at social times. They spoke enthusiastically about the school being a welcoming place.

Pupils recognise the differ...ences that exist between people. They hold the view that diversity in society helps to make the world a more interesting and exciting place to live.

The school fully supports pupils to develop interests beyond the academic curriculum.

Pupils are inspired to try new activities or to take part in after-school clubs such as cricket, gardening or singing. Pupils exhibit their artwork in exhibitions and perform with other local schools in music concerts. They are confident and proud to showcase their talents.

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

The school has revised much of the curriculum across key stages 1 and 2. Overall, it has ensured that the curriculum is well organised and that it enables pupils to build their knowledge in a logical order. However, in one or two subjects, and some areas of learning in the early years, the curriculum has not been fully embedded.

From time to time, this prevents some pupils from acquiring the depth of knowledge across a breadth of subjects. This hinders pupils from building on new learning successfully.

Staff have secure subject knowledge and they deliver lessons that are engaging and interesting.

Teachers skilfully check that pupils have retained key concepts securely before moving on to new learning. The curriculum is enhanced by well-chosen visits and visitors to help pupils extend their learning. This helps most pupils to know and remember more over time and, as a result, achieve well.

Reading is carefully woven throughout the curriculum. Staff successfully encourage pupils to develop a love of reading across the school. Pupils are eager to gain their 'starbooks' tokens and collect a mug of hot chocolate as a reward.

They read widely and often. Pupils love nothing better than relaxing at the end of the school day when stories are shared. This exposure to high-quality literature is pivotal in extending pupils' vocabulary.

In the Reception class, children begin to learn letters and the sounds that they represent. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics scheme. As a result, staff model the sounds that pupils learn in lessons consistently well.

Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. Consequently, many pupils read with increasing fluency and accuracy by the end of Year 2.

Pupils with SEND achieve as well as their peers.

Staff are ably supported by the school to identify and support pupils with any additional needs that they may have. Staff adapt the curriculum successfully so that most pupils secure their knowledge and understanding across the breadth of the curriculum.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary in classrooms and around the school building.

They are highly positive about their learning. Pupils bound into school each day and they are eager to take part in all that the school has on offer. Pupils attend school regularly.

Pupils embrace their various leadership responsibilities. For example, student leaders plan and run lunchtime clubs for younger pupils. Year 6 buddies successfully support children in the early years to help them settle into school life quickly.

The school prepares pupils well for life beyond Ivegill. Pupils have a thorough understanding of fundamental British values. They are tolerant and respectful of others.

They have a thorough knowledge of how democracy works and why this is so important in our society. Pupils' well-being and mental and physical health are promoted exceptionally well by the school. Year 6 pupils feel confident to be themselves and feel fully prepared for their next step to high school.

Members of the governing body are dedicated and ambitious for pupils. They have the necessary skills and seek appropriate training to address any knowledge gaps that they may have. Governors work effectively with the school to bring about continuous improvement.

Staff morale is high. They are proud to work at the school. They know that the school and governors consider their well-being when making decisions.

For example, the changes to the curriculum have happened in a stepped approach to help staff to manage their workload appropriately. Everyone within the school feels incredibly lucky to be a part of the Ivegill community.

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 few subjects, including some areas of learning in the early years, the school has not fully embedded the essential knowledge that children and pupils should learn. This prevents some pupils from acquiring the depth of knowledge that they could across the wider curriculum. The school should ensure that, as these remaining subject curriculums are embedded, teachers are fully equipped to help pupils build future knowledge on firm foundations.

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