Kirklevington Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The extremely effective and well-respected headteacher is highly ambitious and determined to continue to raise the attainment of pupils in the school further and improve their well-being.

She is ably supported by the skilful deputy headteacher. Recent and continuing actions have ensured that teaching has improved, accelerating the pace of progress pupils make in their learning. Achievement is good.

Leaders, managers and governors have had a good impact on the quality of teaching and pupils' achievement; the school is well placed to improve further. The extremely able governing body consistently challenges the school and holds senior lead...ers to account. It knows the school inside out.

Children in the early years quickly develop skills that allow them to learn and play happily together. They make a fast start in their reading, writing and understanding of number. Pupils' progress from average starting points in Year 1 is consistently good and improving across all year groups in school.

Teaching is always at least good. Pupils learn quickly and show enjoyment in lessons. Teachers usually apply high expectations in all subjects and create a vibrant and exciting environment in which pupils learn with enthusiasm.

Teaching assistants are skilled in supporting the learning and development of individuals and small groups of pupils, enabling them to learn well. The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils have positive attitudes to their work.

They are very polite and have excellent manners. There are high levels of trust and care between everyone in the school. Pupils feel very safe and secure because the care provided by the school is outstanding.

They are very proud of their school building and its grounds, and of each other. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Pupils' levels of achievement over time have not been consistently high enough in every year group. Occasionally, not enough is demanded of some pupils, especially the most-able pupils.

As a result the pace of learning slows and some pupils lose concentration. High quality marking and feedback is not consistently seen in every year group. Achievement and progress in writing is not as high as it is in reading and mathematics.

Information about this school

Kirklevington Primary School is a smaller than average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and for whom English is an additional language is well below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is a little below the national average.

The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is well below average. (This is additional government funding to support those children who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those that are looked after by the local authority.) Early years provision is full time for Reception children, and part time for Nursery children.

The school provides a breakfast club each day for its pupils. The school meets the government's floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The school has achieved the Sainsbury's School Games Gold Kite Mark.