Millbrook CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

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

The headteacher of this school is Julie Frith. This school is part of St Barnabas Church of England Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sean Powers, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sue Morrish.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly school. The school's 'BRING it' values mean that pupils develop confidence in their unique talents.

They know when they have brought courage, c...reativity and friendship to their learning and play. Pupils achieve well.

The wealth of enrichment and extra-curricular activities ignites pupil's enthusiasm.

This small, rural village school lives up to its motto of 'BIG ambitions and a BIG heart'. There is something for everyone. Pupils are hugely proud of their sporting achievements.

They are avid participants in competitions and events both within and beyond the trust.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They get along with one another well and are extremely courteous.

Pupils look out for each other and understand the difference between day to day fall outs and bullying. Staff are good at sorting out any issues and pupils trust them to do this. In Reception Year, children quickly learn the school's routines.

They play and share well with one another.

Pupils have a strong knowledge of the risks when using the internet and know how to stay safe online. They learn about healthy relationships and understand the importance of looking after their physical and mental health through the school's personal, social and health education programme.

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

The school has identified the knowledge it wants pupils to learn across the curriculum. This is coherently sequenced. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn the same content as their peers.

Ambition for pupils is high and the school ensures equality for all.

Children in Reception have a strong start. They learn to use technical vocabulary to explain their thinking and solve everyday life problems.

This is extended in the environment where teachers design activities to stimulate curiosity and critical thinking. This stands pupils in good stead for learning across the challenging curriculum.

Pupils at the early stages of reading learn to read well.

Adults use their strong subject knowledge to introduce new sounds that build on what pupils know. Staff check on what pupils learn during lessons so that misconceptions are quickly addressed. Consequently, pupils learn to read with fluency and accuracy.

Older pupils learn a variety of reading skills from a rich selection of literature.

In many subjects, the school has identified how it wants learning to be structured. For example, in mathematics, pupils move through different types of mathematical skills in each lesson.

Their work shows they are confident in explaining their thinking. They use their knowledge of number facts to solve problems successfully. As a result of consistent practice, pupils develop the ability to answer more complex and demanding problems.

They enjoy working on, and achieving, the 'mega-challenges'. This same level of depth and critical thinking is not always achieved in other subjects. For example, in reading, sometimes the work given to older pupils does not require them to think deeply meaning they do not achieve the same depth of knowledge.

The school is making changes to the culture of pupils' attendance. Processes to manage daily attendance have recently been strengthened. This has had a positive impact on some individual pupils.

However, the school does not have a clear enough oversight of the improvements or trends in poor attendance. Some pupils do not attend well enough.

The trust and the school are proud of their rich offer for pupils' personal development.

The school has considered the aspects of its locality that can be used to enrich learning as well as making the most of opportunities further afield. As a result, pupils learn about the diversity of modern Britain. They understand people have different characteristics and respect differences of views and beliefs.

The trust supports the school well. It adds capacity and expertise which benefits all aspects of the school's work. Staff find the collaboration with other schools helpful.

These links reduce workload and enable staff to deliver the curriculum well. Trustees and the local governing board work effectively together to bring about improvements at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes expectations of pupils' work are not high enough. The work given to pupils does not always give them opportunities to develop deeper thinking such as reasoning and justifying. The school should ensure the work given to pupils provides them with the opportunity to think deeply and critically across the curriculum.

• Some pupils do not attend well enough. Consequently, these pupils miss out on valuable learning and do not build their knowledge as well as they could. The school should strengthen its approach to monitoring, action and evaluation of individuals and groups to raise the attendance of those who are persistently absent.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in 21 and 22 May 2019.