Middleton Tyas Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school and Trinity Academy Eppleby Forcett operate as one school. Despite being split across two sites, there is a strong sense of unity.

Children in the early years are educated at the Eppleby Forcett site and experience a seamless transition to the Middleton Tyas site when they join Year 1. The school ensures that all pupils are safe and happy. Pupils are articulate and confident.

Through the school council, all pupils have a voice. For example, they have created an impressive reading den in the playground and have set up an eco-club.

The school has high expectations of pupils.

Pupils achieve very well in English and mathematics. Since the las...t inspection, staff have worked together to improve the curriculums in the foundation subjects. As a result, most subjects are now well planned and sequenced.

This means that pupils are beginning to achieve more consistently across the curriculum.

Pupils attend well. They behave exceptionally well in lessons and show very positive attitudes to learning.

Pupils are supportive of each other. They demonstrate the school's values of respect and perseverance. Incidents of bullying are rare.

Pupils are confident that if it did happen, adults would sort it out quickly.

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

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Leaders consider how to prepare children in the early years for the range of subjects they will encounter in key stage 1.

Staff work well together to improve their subject knowledge. With the trust's support, they access regular professional development opportunities.

In some subjects, such as history, the curriculum has been refined so that it meets the needs of pupils well.

Leaders have identified key knowledge and concepts that they want pupils to know and remember. In other subjects, this work is ongoing. While pupils can talk about some of their learning, they mostly remember isolated facts or pieces of information.

Teaching does not consistently support pupils to make links between their learning, or to understand how experts in different subjects might work. For example, pupils cannot talk about the types of work historians might undertake to help them understand the past. Adults check what pupils know and remember.

However, they do not routinely check that pupils' knowledge is building and deepening over time.

Children in the early years enjoy positive relationships with adults. Routines and expectations are securely established.

As a result, children behave well and play cooperatively with each other. There is a sharp focus on extending children's vocabulary. The school thinks carefully about how to ensure activities in the setting are purposeful.

However, occasionally there are missed opportunities for children to extend their learning.Pupils quickly become competent readers. The school trains all staff in how to teach phonics.

Pupils who find learning to read difficult are effectively supported to catch-up. The school provides opportunities for pupils to explore different books in depth. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to reading.

For example, older pupils talked about enjoying the work of Shakespeare. Several of them are reading non-fiction texts linked to their aspirations for the future, such as pursuing a career in medicine.

The school has made improvements to the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities since the last inspection.

Where necessary, adults use daily intervention time to help pupils to catch-up with their peers. Some pupils access several interventions for different subjects over the course of a week. The school does not consistently consider what the most important knowledge and skills are that pupils need to work on during intervention time.

Pupils are proactive about making changes that have a positive impact on the school or community. They fundraise for different charities and work to improve the school environment. There are a multitude of opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles.

For example, pupils can be subject leaders, play leaders or reading leaders. They can develop their talents and interests through attending one of the extra-curricular clubs. Pupils lead some of these.

For example, they run a dance club and then put on a performance at the end of the year.

Pupils develop a strong sense of right and wrong. They learn that everyone should be treated equally.

However, pupils are not clear about how differences might affect how we treat each other. The school has started to address this. Leaders are working to improve how pupils learn about diversity.

Governors are passionate about supporting the school. They understand their role and fulfil their duties well. Staff appreciate their support, as well as the support of the trust.

There is a strong sense of collegiality in the school. All those involved with the school are proud to be part of it.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teaching does not consistently support pupils to make links between their learning, or to understand how experts in different subjects might work. As a result, pupils remember isolated facts and pieces of information. The school should ensure that the key knowledge identified in curriculum plans is taught effectively and that adults routinely check whether pupils' knowledge is building and deepening over time.