Kirkbampton CofE School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They feel safe and are happy.

They are polite, courteous and respectful. They are confident that staff would deal with any cases of bullying effectively.

Children in the early years are well prepared for future learning.

Skilled staff encourage children to become independent and resilient, especially when exploring outdoors. Adults join in with children's imaginative play and encourage them to extend the range of words that they know and understand.

Pupils enjoy taking part in adventurous and cultural activities in the local community and further afield.

They look after one another, and they know that it is ...important to care for the environment. Pupils are tolerant. They said that it is wrong to judge people on the way they look.

Pupils explained that we should always treat others in the same way that we would like to be treated ourselves.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Lessons are rarely disrupted.

This is because pupils are keen to learn.

Pupils know that teachers always expect them to do their best in class. Leaders make sure that pupils who find learning difficult, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive effective support.

Most pupils, including children in the early years, achieve well.

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

The school has improved considerably since the last inspection. Leaders have redesigned the curriculum, ensuring that it is ambitious for all pupils.

Leaders have ordered the curriculum content in a logical way. Teachers know what pupils must learn to achieve well. As a result of a well-designed and delivered curriculum, pupils in key stages 1 and 2 develop a secure body of subject knowledge.

Children in the early years also have an effective curriculum. It is well delivered. For example, teachers structure activities so that children learn to count and compare numbers well.

They are well prepared to move on to learn the mathematics curriculum in key stage 1. They also learn a great deal about the world around them to prepare for key stage 1 science, geography and history.

Teachers have good subject knowledge.

They are also skilled in providing support to meet the needs of all learners, including those with SEND. Teachers are reflective. They make good use of the range of training opportunities available to improve their delivery of the curriculum.

Despite the strengths in the curriculum, leaders' systems for checking how well pupils are learning in some subjects are slightly underdeveloped. As a result, in some subjects other than English, mathematics and science, occasional gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding are not picked up quickly enough. For example, in history, a few older pupils do not know enough about how events in the past still influence us in the present day.

Children begin learning to read soon after starting at the school. As they move into key stage 1, they build on their phonics knowledge and most become fluent readers. Well-trained staff help pupils to practise their reading frequently from books that are carefully selected to match their phonics knowledge.

Pupils who may be falling behind with their reading knowledge receive timely support to catch up. Teachers read to pupils frequently, particularly in the early years. They encourage pupils to enjoy reading for pleasure at home, setting them weekly reading-time challenges.

Pupils said that they enjoy reading. Older pupils talked knowledgeably about their favourite authors and books.

Leaders and teachers identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately and at the earliest possible stage.

They ensure that these pupils have the right support to learn the same curriculum as their peers. This means that pupils, including those with SEND, succeed and most are ready for the next stage in their education.

Pupils behave well.

They rarely disturb the learning of others. They attend school regularly and on time. They know the difference between right and wrong.

Pupils take part in trips to cultural centres such as museums and places of worship. They participate widely in their local community. For example, they recently invited families and friends to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II with them.

They provided food and entertained families with displays of maypole and Morris dancing. These opportunities help pupils to learn about the wider world and prepare them well for their futures in modern British society.

Leaders make sure that pupils have plenty of opportunities to participate in healthy, physical activity, including rock climbing and cross-country running.

Governors know the school well and fulfil all their statutory responsibilities. They participate with leaders and staff in strategic planning decisions. Governors and leaders consider staff's workload and work–life balance when making decisions.

Staff feel valued by leaders and governors.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors ensure that adults know how to keep pupils safe.

Staff have regular and up-to-date training, including in child protection and first aid. This helps them to identify when a pupil may be at risk. Leaders follow up on any concerns diligently and make sure that pupils and families receive effective support.

The curriculum helps pupils learn about how to manage risk. For example, they learn about how to be safe online. Pupils said they know that they are safe because staff are always watching out for them and making sure that all the doors and gates are secure.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not checked how well pupils are learning the curriculum in some of the foundation subjects. As a result, some occasional misconceptions and gaps in pupils' learning are not picked up quickly enough. Leaders should ensure a consistent approach to checking how well pupils are learning in the foundation subjects.