Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring and nurturing school. Pupils are happy and feel safe.

Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. Pupils know that if they have any concerns there are trusted adults who will help them. Pupils, parents and carers, staff and governors all feel part of this school community.

The school is highly ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils know that adults have high expectations of them. They recognise the school values of courage, aspire, respect and explore.

They know how these values help them with their learning and well-being. Pupils are kind and polite to a...dults and each other.

Pupils are proud to take on the many leadership roles, such as house captains, school councillors, cyber ambassadors, worship and play leaders.

These responsibilities give them the opportunity to represent the school and be role models. Pupils enjoy the wide range of clubs they can attend. The school ensures that all pupils take part in the many sports and creative activities on offer.

Pupils understand the importance of being responsible citizens. They show acceptance and respect for others. One pupil said, 'being different isn't a bad thing - be proud of who you are.'



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

The school has high aspirations for all pupils. They have designed a curriculum that is broad, relevant and exciting. The school has identified the key knowledge and skills pupils need to learn.

They have ensured that the curriculum is well sequenced. This starts in the early years and progressively builds as pupils move up through the school. In mathematics, for example, teachers know what pupils have already been taught and what their next steps in learning are.

Teachers have high expectations and strong subject knowledge. They use effective strategies which involve children recalling what they know and sharing this within lessons. Teachers revisit what pupils know to help them to remember.

In all subjects, teachers use the appropriate vocabulary and ensure pupils know the meaning of new words. This starts in the early years. In science, pupils explain the meaning of gravity when recapping their learning about Isaac Newton.

Across the school, teachers ask effective questions and address any misconceptions pupils may have.

Reading is a priority for the school. From the start of the Reception Year, teachers follow the phonics approach rigorously.

Regular training ensures that staff are experts in the teaching of reading. Pupils achieve very well in phonics. Pupils practise their reading using books that accurately match the sounds they have learned.

Those pupils that find reading more difficult are promptly given the support they need. This ensures they keep up with their peers. Older pupils have the opportunity to study a wide variety of rich texts.

They enjoy going to the library and being able to take books to read in the amphitheatre at playtimes.

The school has procedures in place to identify pupils with barriers to their learning. Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum as their peers.

However, they recognise more work is needed to make sure that all staff know how to adapt learning so that pupils with SEND learn successfully and make progress.

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Their attendance is high.

In lessons, they are eager, enthusiastic and generally engage well in their learning.

The school promotes pupils' wider development exceptionally well. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their confidence, resilience and strength of character through the well-designed and age-appropriate personal, social and health education curriculum.

This goes beyond the academic. The school enables pupils to have discussions around morality, diversity as well as different cultural aspects. Pupils feel strongly about the importance of respect for themselves and others.

They aspire to be the best that they can be.

The school provides opportunities for pupils to understand how to be responsible, respectful, active citizens by encouraging them to think about the environment and global issues. They have received external recognition for this.

Pupils talk passionately about their link school in Nepal. They are keen to raise money to enable this school to make its own future improvements.

Leaders, including the governing body, have identified the priorities for school improvement.

Governors challenge the school effectively while supporting staff well-being. Staff appreciate the wide range of professional development opportunities available to them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few areas of the curriculum, learning is not always adapted effectively to support pupils with SEND. As a result, some pupils do not learn and remember the curriculum well. Leaders need to ensure that they have identified the component knowledge that pupils need to learn in all subjects and that teachers understand the small sequential steps that pupils need to work through, so all pupils, including those with SEND, can achieve well.

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