Kings Nympton Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key findings

This is a good school.

The school's good reputation has been a factor which has led to increasing numbers of pupils attending. Pupils are known well by staff and treated as individuals. Planning for improvement is sharply focused on improvement in the right areas.

However, the school is not yet outstanding because attainment in writing is weaker than in other subjects and the pace of teaching and learning in lessons is occasionally too slow. Fluctuation in attainment has been caused by pupils joining or leaving the school other than at the usual time. Attainment is broadly average and rising.

Once in school, pupils make good progress and achieve well. Achievement is good and broadly s...imilar for the different groups of pupils. Teaching is typically good.

Discussion is used well in lessons to help pupils develop their thinking. Lessons capture the pupils' enthusiasm and topics are well-chosen to interest both boys and girls. Learning in lessons usually moves along at a brisk pace.

However, on a few occasions, pupils' knowledge, skills and understanding are not developed quickly enough in different activities. Pupils have targets to help them assess their own work but these are not used as effectively as they might be across the school. Behaviour is good, relationships are strong and the pupils have good attitudes to learning.

Pupils comment that it is a very happy school where they feel safe and that they are expected to work hard. They express themselves with considerable confidence and assurance, and work harmoniously in lessons, for example to solve problems in mathematics. The leadership of teaching and the management of performance are good.

Planned actions for improvement in writing have been implemented securely but have not had time to have a full impact on attainment. The headteacher rightly has the strong support of staff, governors, and parents and carers.

Information about the school

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school, with pupils attending from a wide geographical area.

The two classes have a mix of age groups. Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who are supported by school action plus or who have statements of special educational needs is broadly average.

Numbers of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals are below average. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught alongside pupils from Key Stage 1. Numbers of pupils attending the school have risen since the time of the previous inspection.

Over the past two years, there have been significant numbers of pupils joining or leaving Key Stage 2 other than at the usual time. There is pre-school provision on-site that is not managed by the governing body and therefore inspected separately. The school does not meet the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.