Morland Area CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this extremely nurturing school, which sits at the heart of its rural community. Pupils are happy and know that staff care about them. The strong relationships fostered between the school and families help children in the early years to settle quickly.

Pupils flourish as they discover, learn and play harmoniously alongside their friends.

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), strive to live up to the high expectations that the school has of them. Pupils behave exceptionally well and listen attentively in lessons.

They work hard and endeavour to do their very best. This helps pupils achieve well in ...a range of subjects.

Pupils talk enthusiastically about the extraordinary opportunities that the school provides.

These include learning to ride a horse in the Reception class, visits to the theatre and performing with the school choir. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe when they are out on the fells and elsewhere. They proudly represent their school in a broad range of sporting competitions.

Residential visits to major cities contribute positively to pupils' confidence and resilience. As members of the farming club, pupils learn about stewardship of the land. Pupils are aspirational for their future careers.

As role models, older pupils embody the school's core values of honesty, togetherness and compassion.

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

The school's ambitious curriculum has been well designed to meet the needs of all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. From the Nursery Year through to Year 6, the school has carefully identified the most important knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught, including for pupils who are taught in mixed-age classes.

Across a broad range of subjects, teachers use their knowledge and skills well to design appropriate learning activities. Teachers ensure that pupils' knowledge builds securely over time. This helps pupils to make connections between what they know already and new learning.

In most subjects, teachers' checks on pupils' learning quickly identify any gaps that pupils may have. Teachers use this information effectively to provide opportunities for pupils to revisit missed or forgotten knowledge. Pupils achieve well.

However, in a small number of subjects, when gaps in learning are not identified swifty, it sometimes leads to some pupils developing misconceptions.

From the early years onwards, skilled staff quickly identify children or pupils who may need additional support. Appropriate adaptations help pupils to learn the same curriculum as their classmates.

The support that pupils receive enables them to participate fully in all aspects of school life. Pupils with SEND achieve well in a broad range of subjects.

In the early years, children's confidence and independence blossom.

Communication and language sit at the heart of children's learning. Teachers provide stimulating activities both inside and outdoors. Staff engage in high-quality conversations as children learn and play.

Children get off to a flying start. They are prepared well for Year 1.

Pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite books and the authors that they study.

They read widely and often across a broad range of subjects. A love of reading permeates the school. Skilled staff teach phonics consistently well.

Children in the Reception class quickly learn the sounds that letters make. Most pupils are confident, fluent readers by the start of key stage 2. Pupils who struggle with their reading are supported well.

This helps them to catch up quickly.

Pupils understand the importance of attending school each day. They are rarely absent.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons, and at social times, is impeccable. Pupils are extremely polite and well mannered. From the early years, positive attitudes to learning are fostered and promoted consistently well by staff.

Older pupils' good conduct helps to create a calm and caring environment in which to learn. This helps all pupils to achieve their very best.

The school's approach to supporting pupils' personal development is exceptional.

As part of an enterprise initiative, pupils learn how to run a successful business. Older pupils make a positive contribution to the life of the school by organising sports and after-school clubs. Pupils are encouraged to look after their local community with the work they do to promote recycling, composting and keeping the community free from litter.

Pupils also learn about different faiths. Hosting pupils from a school in Ghana helps to broaden pupils' understanding of other cultures. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.

They are extremely well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Governors use their wide-ranging expertise and experience well. They ensure that they are well informed about the quality of education that pupils receive.

This enables them to provide appropriate support and challenge. Staff are proud to work at the school and value the consideration that is given to their workload when decisions are made.

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 small number of subjects, gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding are not routinely identified by staff. This means that some misconceptions persist and pupils move on to new learning without establishing secure foundations. The school should ensure that, in these subjects, teachers identify the gaps in pupils' learning swiftly so that they can reshape learning activities to help all pupils gain missed or forgotten learning.