Ivington CofE Primary and Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ivington CofE Primary and Pre-School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

This small, rural school is at the heart of the community. As such, all pupils learn about the importance of farming and pupils are involved in other community activities. Most pupils behave well and feel safe at school.

Staff and pupils demonstrate resilience and cooperation. This is particularly notable following the significant disruption caused by recent flooding at the school. Pupils' education continues to function effectively, regardless of these challenges.

The school is ambitious and expectations fo...r achievement are high. Pupils work hard and are successful. The well-organised curriculum and support provided enable most pupils to reach the standards expected for their age, particularly in reading and mathematics.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Carefully chosen visits, clubs and experiences help bring learning to life. Pupils enjoy the residential visits and fun sleepovers in school that staff organise.

Extra-curricular clubs enable pupils to extend their interests and skills beyond the classroom, these include chess, cricket and football.

Pupils are happy at school. They readily take on additional roles and responsibilities, such as prefects, bus monitors or digital leaders.

These opportunities build pupils' leadership and organisational skills. Older pupils demonstrate high levels of maturity when supporting younger children.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and well designed to meet pupils' needs.

The school ensures that staff have the training and skills needed to deliver all subjects confidently and competently. Staff check pupils' understanding and grasp of new concepts in lessons effectively. They also assess pupils at regular intervals to gauge how well they are doing.

The school analyses the results carefully and provides support to address any gaps in pupils' knowledge.

The school's approach to teaching early reading and mathematics is systematic and effective. Staff are clear about what they want children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 to know and by when.

Learning builds gradually and sequentially as pupils move through the school. Staff who teach phonics have strong subject knowledge. Pupils in key stage 2 who have not achieved fluency in their phonics, continue to have regular teaching.

Younger pupils who struggle receive additional one-to-one support in the afternoon to help them catch up. This strong focus on intervention ensures that pupils become confident and fluent readers.

The school has identified that writing is an area for improvement.

Some pupils do not develop a fluent handwriting style. This mars the presentation of their written work. Additionally, on occasion, staff expectations of pupils' writing are too low.

Some of the school's approaches to teaching writing stifles pupils' ability to write as well and as much as they should.

Staff adapt teaching appropriately to meet pupils' needs, especially those with SEND. These pupils enjoy the same curriculum as their peers.

Staff receive helpful guidance and training to identify pupils early and provide the right support, including those with complex needs. The range and quality of support provided helps pupils to succeed in school and attain well.

Provision in the early years is effective.

Staff know when to interact and question, and when to step back and observe. Effective questioning and modelling by staff help children to build their communication and language skills. Activities are stimulating and engaging.

Children relish the opportunities to role play, for example, using farm animal face masks to mimic animal sounds. They show great excitement when exploring hand painting and mixing colours. The early years curriculum prepares children well for Year 1 and beyond.

The school is a calm and orderly environment. Pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Most enjoy school.

There is a consistent upward trend in attendance due to the effective actions taken by the school.

Pupils treat staff and other pupils with respect. However, they have a limited understanding of some fundamental British values, such as democracy and tolerance.

Pupils are also unsure about the different cultures and communities found in Britain and across the world. Their narrow experience, knowledge and understanding of life in modern Britain does not help to prepare them sufficiently well for life beyond primary school.

Governors are supportive of the school.

They are well informed. They meet with staff to discuss the curriculum and volunteer their time to support pupils who are struggling.

Leaders are proactive and keen to improve further.

Staff enjoy working at the school. They feel valued and appreciate the consideration given to their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not developed some elements of writing transcription sufficiently well, particularly handwriting. Additionally, some pupils are unable to write independently or at length because expectations of them are too low. The school should ensure that the curriculum supports pupils to write with increasing accuracy and confidence over time.

• The school has not ensured that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils have limited knowledge of fundamental British values, including the cultures and faiths of people living in Britain. The school should extend pupils' knowledge of fundamental British values and understanding of those from different backgrounds and faiths.

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 July 2015.