Melsonby Methodist Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This small school cares well for its pupils.

Leaders are determined that pupils will experience a range of opportunities outside of their village community. They enjoy city residentials to London and Edinburgh. Pupils take part in after-school clubs, including crafts and cooking.

The school is part of a federation with another local school. It takes part in 'Federation Fridays' every week. This helps pupils to learn and socialise in larger groups.

Pupils who make up the federation school council meet every week. Pupils gain confidence and are ready for the next stage of their education.

The school has high expectations of all pupils.

Teacher...s know pupils well individually in such a small school. They use this knowledge to personalise learning for each pupil. When pupils fall behind, staff put in additional support quickly.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Pupils are proud of their school and behave very well. They show respect for adults and each other.

Pupils are kind and look after each other. They are encouraged to be accepting of people from faiths and cultures different to their own. As a result, conflict is rare.

When pupils do fall out, they make friends again quickly. Pupils feel safe and know that adults will help if they need support.

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

The school has adapted the curriculum to ensure that it meets the needs of mixed-age classes effectively.

Reading is a priority. The phonics scheme is well embedded. All staff are experts in the teaching of early reading.

Routines and consistency in teaching are strong. Pupils needing additional support to develop their reading fluency receive it. They catch up quickly.

The school gives pupils ample opportunities to practise writing the sounds and words they learn. Older pupils have regular guided reading lessons. They can choose books from a wide range of quality texts.

Pupils vote to select a class novel. As a result, pupils develop a love of reading and regularly read for pleasure.

The mathematics curriculum is well established.

The curriculum is coherently sequenced to ensure pupils make good progress. Teachers address misconceptions and intervene quickly. Teachers' subject knowledge is strong.

Staff support pupils with SEND so that they achieve in line with their peers in mathematics lessons. The early mathematics curriculum in reception has strong links to the Year 1 curriculum.

In other subjects, the school has recently introduced a new curriculum.

The school carried out research to ensure the new curriculum meets the needs of the pupils in this school. It is too early to see the impact of these changes yet. The school is continuing to monitor the new curriculum areas.

Across all subjects, teachers check what pupils know and can do. At times, the school is not as rigorous as it could be in using this information to identify and address gaps in pupils' learning.

In the early years, staff know the children well.

Children and their families visit the school before they start. School staff visit children in their Nursery settings. As a result, children settle quickly and develop positive professional relationships with school staff.

Pupils with SEND are identified quickly, sometimes before they begin at the school. Staff plan additional support for those children who need it. This begins as soon as children start at the school.

The school checks that there are clear links to the Year 1 curriculum for early years children. Key stage 1 pupils have access to areas of provision. Staff model language and introduce ambitious, planned vocabulary through the class novels.

Pupils behave well, including during playtime and in the lunch hall. They look after each other. There is a calm atmosphere in the school.

Most pupils are attentive in lessons. Pupils attend school well. The school helps families who need additional support to attend school.

The school councillors are proud of the charity work they are involved in. They also help to organise the village duck race. The school is part of the wider village community.

Pupils take part in events at the local church. The 'Friends of Melsonby' support the school through fundraising activities. Staff ensure that pupils develop character.

They are ready for life in modern Britain.

Staff feel well supported by the school. Governors support leaders and staff workload and well-being.

As a small school, leaders have forged strong links with the federation school and another local, larger school. This helps them in their drive for continuous improvement.

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, changes to the curriculum are recent and need time to embed. In these subjects, pupils are not yet able to connect their current learning with what they have learned previously. The school should continue to implement the planned changes to the curriculum and monitor impact so that pupils can recall their learning across all subject areas securely.

• In some subjects, teachers are not systematic enough in how they assess and check what pupils have learned. This hinders how well they identify and address gaps in pupils' prior learning and, on occasion, stops some pupils from making sense of new learning. The school should ensure that strategies used to check what pupils know give teachers enough information to address gaps in prior learning before moving on.