Milverton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

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

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is rightly proud of its welcoming ethos where difference and individuality are valued. Expectations and standards are high and pupils achieve well. The school helps pupils to deepen their learning and produce good-quality work.

Pupils, staff, parents and carers are united by the school's 'Fruits of Milverton' values and sense of community. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully involved in the life of the school.

Pupils...' behaviour is exemplary.

This is because everyone supports the school's high expectations. Pupils are thoughtful, polite and welcoming. They benefit from opportunities to carry out leadership roles, such as learning detectives, well-being ambassadors and school councillors.

Pupils take these roles and responsibilities seriously. They feel listened to and play a part in making changes to the school, such as the introduction of the school radio. Pupils have warm relationships with adults.

Pupils have a range of opportunities to develop their interests through clubs such as drama and sports. They develop a sense of pride in their own and others' achievements. They become confident, curious and collaborative learners by the time they leave the school.

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

The school's well-designed and well-sequenced curriculum is highly ambitious. The school wants all pupils to reach their potential. Pupils rise to these expectations and do well.

Books are filled with high-quality and neatly written work. Pupils can talk about their learning clearly. The school uses schemes and resources creatively to adapt work to meet the needs of pupils.

This means pupils can make effective links between subjects. For example, pupils design Anderson shelters in computing while learning about World War Two in their history lessons. They learn about local history that is relevant to their community.

As a result, pupils recall information and facts well. Trips to places such as castles, farms and places of worship also help pupils to remember the curriculum and build rich cultural experiences in a meaningful way.

Teachers present subject matter clearly and in a way that ensures pupils understand.

For example, in mathematics, teachers demonstrate exchanging tens and units before pupils try this with a partner. By the end of the lesson, all pupils achieve this independently. Teachers use checks while teaching to identify any gaps in learning and quickly address them.

Teachers receive effective training, support and guidance from the school. This enables teachers to deliver engaging lessons where learning builds up over time.

SEND provision is a strength of the school.

The school identifies pupils' needs effectively and provides the support and adaptations that they need to learn well. Pastoral support is helpful for pupils and families. Pupils know that 'The Nest' is a calm, sensory space if they need it.

Pupils' mental health is well considered. There is a graduated range of support, and each pupil is tracked to spot any mental health needs early.

Provision for reading is central to the work of the school.

The teaching of phonics is highly effective. Well-trained staff successfully teach children the sounds letters make. This means pupils read fluently when they leave the school.

Children listen to quality texts, rhymes and songs from the start in Reception. Staff in the early years use conversation skilfully to encourage pupils to speak clearly about their activities. The youngest children demonstrate characteristics of effective learning.

The school applies high expectations for pupils' behaviour and conduct consistently and fairly. Pupils also have high expectations of themselves and each other. This is reflected in pupils' exceptional behaviour and conduct.

They have highly positive attitudes to learning and attend regularly.

The school develops pupils' characters, confidence and resilience effectively through a broad programme of wider curriculum activities. This starts in Reception, where pupils are encouraged to be independent.

The children record their own snack time and when they have completed the 'must do mustard' learning tasks each day. They take turns, cooperate and share well. The early years environment is harmonious, and pupils are happy.

Staff encourage all pupils to be 'responsible, organised and ready to learn'. Older pupils are expected to contribute to school life by completing jobs in school and at lunchtime.

The school is well led.

Leaders at all levels make decisions in the best interests of pupils. The governing body members are well informed and visit to listen to pupils and staff and check the information they are given. Staff feel well trained and supported to become better practitioners.

The staff team members work well together and feel valued because leaders look after their well-being. The school engages well with parents, who are overwhelmingly positive about 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)

• The school's approach to building pupils' recall of times tables is not as consistent as it could be. Some pupils do not get enough practice to develop sufficiently rapid recall of multiplication facts. The school should review its approach to supporting routine recall and practice of times tables so that pupils become more fluent when using these facts in other areas of mathematics.

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 November 2014.