Kidmore End Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a strong sense of belonging. They value the support and guidance they receive from adults and the whole school community. Pupils feel safe and happy.

One pupil summed up the views of many, saying, 'Adults support us here, they help us to get back up if we ever fall down.' Pupils know the school's values of kindness, respect, curiosity and resilience. They understand these well.

They can explain how they learn about them and what they mean. Pupils appreciate trips and residential stays. They make good use of school clubs such as choir, sewing, drama and chess clubs.

Pupils develop their confidence well through presenting to others and leading activ...ities. For example, pupils take part in school council elections and perform in school drama productions.

Pupils are polite and respectful.

They understand the school's rules and routines. Pupils respond well to adults' high expectations in the classrooms and around the school. Pupils' conduct towards each other is thoughtful and courteous.

This helps pupils to support each other's well-being. Pupils are highly motivated in their lessons. There is a very positive and nurturing school culture that helps them to have positive attitudes to their learning.

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum. This is carefully planned to meet the needs of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school prioritises some subject areas, such as mathematics, phonics and early reading.

In these, teachers are clear about what needs to be taught. They check to see if pupils have understood what they have been learning carefully. Across the wider curriculum, subjects are at different stages of development.

In subjects where staff have had more time to focus on acquiring the right subject knowledge through training, there has been a positive impact on pupils' learning. There are some subjects, though, where staff expertise is not fully developed so that pupils achieve as well as they could.

The school is led effectively.

There is consideration of staff workload and effective actions that help to manage staff pressures and challenges in positive ways. The school's strengths and areas for development are known and understood. The school supports staff effectively in ways that have led to sustained improvements, for example in developing phonics and reading.

Parents appreciate how the school engages with them. Reflecting the positive views of many parents, one commented: 'It is a wonderfully nurturing and supportive school. I feel confident that my children's needs are being met and that the staff care about the success of all children.'



Pupils with SEND achieve well across the curriculum because of effective provision. Staff work closely with specialists, such as speech and language therapists, to offer strong support to children where needed. Staff adapt the curriculum well and, with the same high expectations, ensure provision matches the targets identified for each pupil closely.

The school has rightly identified that some pupils' specific needs are not always supported as quickly as possible when they join the school to ensure that they achieve highly.

Pupils learn to read well. Phonics teaching begins when children first start in Reception.

Reading books mirror the sounds that pupils are learning. Staff use effective systems to monitor and check how well pupils are learning phonics. If any pupils start to fall behind, staff make sure that there is support in place to help them catch up, such as extra tuition or small-group interventions.

Pupils love reading. They value when teachers share stories and appreciate weekly sessions where they share book recommendations with each other.

Pupils' wider development and pastoral support is at the heart of the school.

Pupils talk excitedly about their roles such as team captains and school councillors. Older pupils enjoy a sense of responsibility gained from their roles as 'buddies' that help younger pupils during playtimes. After-school activities are well attended and offer opportunities for all pupils.

Pupils learn about democracy and how this has changed over time. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. Pupils say that it is important to be kind when online and check with adults if anything makes them feel uncomfortable.

The consistent and dedicated care, kindness and support for all pupils is tangible throughout the whole staff team. This has helped to develop pupils' resilience at the school because pupils develop a love of learning and a deep appreciation of the world around them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, staff do not yet have all of the subject knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum fully effectively. This means that pupils do not always achieve as well as they could. The school should provide appropriate training so that staff have the right expertise to teach all subjects equally effectively.

• The school does not identify the specific needs of some pupils with SEND as quickly as possible. These pupils do not always achieve as highly as they could, therefore. The school should continue with its plans to improve this so that pupils with SEND receive the additional support that they need more rapidly.