Middlezoy Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy, welcoming and friendly school. Since pupils moved to the Othery Village School site, they have enjoyed making new friends, and gaining wider educational experiences.

The school provides a broad curriculum and encourages pupils to 'be the best you can be'.

Pupils' learning is enriched by activities such as museum visits and residential trips.

Pupils enjoy school and attend regularly. They talk enthusiastically about working with a local artist to create the impressive artwork on display in the school.

Pupils relish the chance to take part in activities such as country dancing, choir and tag rugby.

Pupils behave well and follo...w the school's values of honesty, respect and trust. They are polite and sociable.

Pastoral support is strong. Staff are positive role models. They forge caring and supportive relationships with pupils.

Pupils know the importance of being a good friend. Consequently, they feel safe at school. Pupils trust adults to look after them, and say they quickly sort out any problems.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They typically comment on the 'wonderful' community feel, and say their children are thriving.

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

The school is committed to ensuring that all pupils get the best education they can.

The curriculum is broad and balanced for all pupils. Pupils progress well, in particular, through the reading, writing and mathematics curriculums. Pupils regularly practise writing.

This means that they are able to produce high-quality written work that demonstrates their learning.

The school prioritises reading. Children start to learn to read as soon as they start school.

The phonics programme helps pupils to develop secure reading skills. Pupils who find reading difficult get the help they need to improve their confidence, accuracy and fluency. Pupils develop wider reading skills well, such as comprehension.

The school inspires pupils to develop a love of reading. Pupils enjoy choosing from a wide selection of books in school. Pupils delight in listening to stories that adults read to them.

Story books are used to enhance pupils' learning in other subjects such as history.

Pupils are keen to learn. They listen well and try hard.

Pupils enjoy practising their learning to deepen their knowledge. For example, in mathematics, Year 2 pupils use their knowledge of multiplication to help them to solve more complex problems.

In some subjects, the curriculum does not precisely identify the key building blocks of knowledge that pupils need to learn.

This hinders some pupils from building their knowledge and they find subsequent learning more difficult.

The school regularly assesses how well pupils are doing. However, in some subjects, assessment does not always identify when pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

Consequently, pupils do not progress as well through the curriculum.

The school provides targeted support for disadvantaged pupils, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This enables pupils to learn the same curriculum as others.

These pupils progress well through the curriculum. Pupils with SEND enjoy school and are fully included in all aspects of school life.

Pupils develop their characters and become active citizens.

For example, they take on positions of responsibility, such as eco warriors and team captains. Pupils sing to local parishioners in the local church and raise money for charity. This helps them to understand how they can contribute to their communities beyond school.

The school supports staff well. Morale is high, because staff value the support the school provides for their well-being and professional development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some areas of the curriculum do not identify the key knowledge that pupils must learn. As a result, pupils are not able to build on prior learning and deepen their knowledge. The trust must precisely identify the key components of knowledge that pupils must learn, so that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

• In some subjects, assessment is not effective. This means that pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The trust needs to ensure that assessment identifies what pupils know and can do, and adapt the curriculum to address any gaps so that pupils know and remember more.