Milby Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Milby Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and polite at Milby Primary. They enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn in lessons.

The school has high expectations of pupils across the curriculum. This means that most pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Pupils are safe at this school.

They have staff they can talk to or seek help from should the need arise. The school places a high priority on pastoral care and it is at the core of all the school does. Pupils benefit from support ...by the dedicated pastoral team, parents and pupils appreciate this.

There is a calm and purposeful learning environment. Pupils behave well in lessons. They play well with one another in the outdoor space.

The curriculum is enriched with trips, outdoor learning and visitors, which help bring learning to life. Pupils get the opportunity to stand for election in the school council and apply for other roles of responsibility, such as prefects and foundation stage lunchtime helpers. These opportunities are valued by pupils and help them to prepare for life in modern Britain.

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

The school has developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. Leaders at all levels support colleagues in developing their expertise across the curriculum. The school gives clear guidance which enables staff to deliver the curriculum effectively in the 'Milby way'.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and present information clearly. As a result, most pupils progress through the curriculum and achieve well.

Teachers provide pupils with the chance to recap prior learning before presenting new knowledge.

However, teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding within lessons. This means that opportunities to extend some pupils' knowledge are lost. In addition, gaps that may exist in some pupils' knowledge are not identified and addressed.

This slows their learning. On occasion, the work given to pupils does not match their stage of learning. This means that, sometimes, pupils have to overly rely on support from adults.

The school promptly identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND. The use of individual targets and interventions are effective in enabling pupils to learn the curriculum. For pupils with the most complex SEND needs, the school works effectively with external professionals to develop their expertise and identify appropriate next steps.

The school prioritises reading. Staff have the expertise to deliver a well-sequenced phonics programme. Pupils recognise the sounds they need to blend words.

The school identifies pupils who need additional support to improve their fluency. These pupils receive interventions to enable them to catch up.

In the early years, children experience a variety of planned learning opportunities to prepare them for the next stage in their education.

These help to develop their key knowledge and skills in early reading, writing, and mathematics. Routines are quickly established, which mean children interact well with one another and adults.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour and attitudes.

The school's rules 'ready, respectful, safe' help pupils to remember the expectations for learning and playing. This means that behaviour in the school is typically calm and purposeful. Occasionally, the agreed expectations are not consistently applied to address low-level distractions in lessons.

While this behaviour does not impact others' learning, it means that these pupils do not fully engage. While attendance is typically high, the school works alongside families well to ensure pupils attend school regularly.

Pupils, parents and carers appreciate the broad range of clubs and activities, which develop their talents and interests.

Pupils can experience choir, craft, languages and a range of sporting clubs. All pupils learn several musical instruments as part of their music curriculum. Pupils learn about living and thriving in modern Britain in an age-appropriate manner.

Leaders at all levels in this school are highly effective. Governors are skilful and diligently carry out their roles, providing effective challenge and support. Staff are proud to work at this school.

The school's vision is central to a shared drive to improve the outcomes for all. This results in the school providing the pupils of Milby with the educational, social, and emotional skills to access the next stage of their education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasion, the work given to pupils does not match their stage of learning. This means that sometimes pupils have to overly rely on support from adults. The school should ensure all staff have the expertise to make appropriate adaptations within lessons to enable all pupils to learn the curriculum successfully and build their knowledge over time.

• Teachers do not consistently check pupils understanding and address misconceptions within lessons. This means that pupils do not routinely secure their learning into the long-term memory. The school should continue to develop staff expertise so they can successfully identify and address any gaps or misconceptions.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in October 2015.

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