Myddle CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Myddle CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are eager to come to this friendly and welcoming school. They respond well to adults' high expectations of them.

Leaders ensure that pupils experience a broad, interesting curriculum that includes a focus on learning about the local area. Pupils enjoy finding out about new things and are keen to do their best.

Pupils behave exceptionally well during lessons and at playtimes.

They model the school's 'Myddle Magic' Christian values, including respect, perseverance and kindness, in all they do. Pupils told inspectors that bullying is rare. They are confident that i...f it did happen, an adult would deal with it quickly.

Pupils feel safe and well cared for and know that adults at the school will help them with any problems or worries they have.

Pupils are keen to have extra responsibilities and take their roles seriously. They can apply for roles such as librarian, eco-councillor, worship councillor, sports leader, or member of the school council.

They have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests in sport, music and art, for example at clubs, inter-school competitions and musical performances in the local community. Pupils also enjoy the regular visits they undertake as part of the topics they study.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that, in most subjects, is well sequenced.

They have set out the important knowledge that all pupils must learn from Nursery to the end of key stage 2. This includes the subject-specific vocabulary that all pupils need to learn. In this small school, there are often annual changes to the way classes are organised, for example how they are paired as year groups.

However, leaders carefully plan the curriculum and ensure that it is flexible enough so that it builds on what pupils already know and can do. Leaders have identified a small number of subjects, including computing, that need further development. They have firm plans to review the content and to provide training for staff.

Staff development is a priority and this means that teachers and teaching assistants have strong subject knowledge. Teachers check pupils' understanding during lessons and quickly address anything pupils have misunderstood. They use assessment information well to close any gaps in learning.

Reading is promoted as soon as children join school in the Nursery. Younger children enjoy listening to familiar stories and joining in with rhymes. They enjoy choosing their own books in the cosy outdoor 'reading shed'.

Staff are well trained to teach phonics. They provide expert support for any pupils at risk of falling behind. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read practise with books that are matched to the sounds they know.

This is helping them to become more fluent, accurate readers. Older pupils enjoy reading for pleasure and talk knowledgeably about their favourite authors.

Children in the Nursery get off to a great start.

The relationships between adults and children are very positive. Children settle quickly and feel safe. Adults work hard to develop children's use of vocabulary in the early years.

Children are curious about what they are learning. For example, during the inspection, they showed great interest in numbers and patterns in mathematics.

Staff know pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well.

They identify their needs accurately and provide effective support. Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and they achieve well. Leaders have made recent changes to further improve the way they work with the parents of pupils who have SEND.

Pupils' personal development is a priority. For example, pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and about the importance of physical and mental health. Pupils are keen to get involved in charity events to help people who are less fortunate than they are.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about different cultures and the main world religions. They are developing plans to ensure that pupils learn more about the differences that make people unique.

Governors are dedicated to the school and its pupils.

They know what is going well and what needs to improve. They hold leaders to account effectively. Staff appreciate the opportunities that being part of a federation brings, for example working with subject experts and sharing resources.

Staff told inspectors that they feel valued and well supported by leaders.

Most parents are positive about the school. They say that their children are happy to come to school, with one summing up the views of many by saying, 'This is a friendly, welcoming and nurturing school.'



Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding pupils is a priority for leaders. Staff know how to report concerns they have about a pupil's well-being and are encouraged to report concerns no matter how small.

Records show that leaders respond appropriately when any concerns are raised.There are robust systems in place for the safe recruitment of staff and volunteers to the school. Governors regularly check that these procedures are being followed.

The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe, for example online safety, road safety and what to do if they have any concerns. Older pupils learn about what makes a safe relationship.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, including computing, the curriculum is less well developed than in others.

In these subjects, pupils do not build on knowledge as well as they could. Leaders should continue with their work to ensure that all subjects are well sequenced so that pupils are able to make strong progress across the curriculum. ? Some pupils do not have a sufficient, age-appropriate awareness and understanding of the differences and individual characteristics that make people unique.

This means that some pupils are less well prepared than they could be for their next steps and future lives. Leaders should continue with their work to ensure that pupils learn about the differences that people have in their own community and the wider world.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 in May 2013.

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