Malborough with South Huish Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Malborough with South Huish Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk with pride about the family feel of their school.

They are keen to discuss their learning and the extra opportunities they have available to them. Pupils learn well across most subjects in the redeveloped curriculum.

Pupils thrive in the nurturing and safe environment that leaders provide.

All members of the school community model Christian values. Pupils are well prepared for their future lives in the wider world. They learn about diversity beyond their local community and the importance of tolerance and respect for others....

Pupils hold many different roles of responsibility. This helps to build their resilience and independence.

Staff have high expectations of pupils and model them clearly.

Pupils are motivated to meet these high expectations. They have positive attitudes to learning and their interactions and support for each other. Pupils say that bullying is not something they worry about.

They feel confident that adults will sort out any concerns they have. This also applies to how pupils say adults manage behaviour, which they feel is clear and fair.

Many parents are positive about the school and the impact it has on their child.

However, some say that communication could be stronger.

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

Leaders have taken effective action to develop the curriculum to ensure that it is well considered and sequenced to build pupils' knowledge over time. Leaders focus on providing a rich and ambitious curriculum right from the start.

It is designed to give children in Reception a secure foundation in their knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. This prepares them well for key stage 1 and beyond. Leaders monitor the impact of this redeveloped curriculum and understand most of the strengths and areas still in need of development.

However, in some subjects, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders are not yet clear as to how the curriculum in these subjects will close gaps that exist in pupils' prior learning and help them to know and remember more over time.

Leaders, including those from the federation, have considered the well-being of staff throughout the many recent changes.

Staff appreciate leaders' consideration for their workload. They know that leaders' decisions focus on the best outcomes for pupils. Leaders and teachers have secure subject knowledge.

They receive regular training on different important aspects of the curriculum. This includes working with external experts and deepening pupils' learning using 'sticky questions' in each lesson to revisit and secure previous knowledge. Leaders have strengthened the support that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive to access the curriculum.

Leaders deliver training that helps staff to make appropriate adaptations to learning. This helps pupils with SEND to learn as well as their peers.

Leaders prioritise reading.

Children learn to read as soon as they start school. Pupils have regular phonics and reading lessons. This helps them to practise and secure their reading fluency.

Leaders have carefully considered how pupils move on from the phonics programme. Pupils know how teachers help them get better at reading. They know that reading helps them learn about other areas of the curriculum.

Leaders ensure there is additional support for pupils who struggle with their reading. This helps them to develop the knowledge they need to become more confident and fluent readers.

Staff throughout the school have clear expectations of behaviour.

Pupils know what these expectations are. For the most part, they work towards meeting them successfully. Pupils say that there are occasionally times when poor behaviour disturbs learning.

However, they feel that staff deal with this well. Pupils' positive behaviour continues into playtimes. They use a range of equipment to structure their play.

The playground is a busy, yet safe and stimulating environment. Older pupils support and care for younger pupils in their roles as lunchtime monitors, equipment crew, rhyme recruits and a general consideration and respect for each other.

The wider development of pupils is a strength of the school.

Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the wealth of opportunities available to them. They know how this enhances their learning and prepares them well for their next steps. Leaders have developed an extended transition process for Year 6 pupils moving to Year 7.

Pupils learn about fundamental British values and how these impact their lives. Leaders are increasing pupils' awareness of their own mental health and well-being. Spiritual detectives are currently working as part of a national group with the Church of England.

This is increasing their awareness of diversity and respect for others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff have regular safeguarding training.

Staff know pupils and families well. They are aware of their responsibilities to be vigilant and report any signs that may give rise to potential safeguarding and welfare concerns. Leaders seek specialist help when necessary.

They challenge and follow up on external support as appropriate. Leaders make the necessary checks to ensure that all adults are safe to work with children. They swiftly addressed an omission in checks on those responsible for governance before the inspection was complete.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and understand risk.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have made well-considered changes to the design and coherence of the curriculum. Despite the rigorous and quick action taken by leaders and teachers to implement these changes, in some subjects, this is in the early stages.

As a result, there are still gaps in some pupils' learning. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum identifies and closes gaps in pupils' knowledge.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 in January 2014.

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