Nayland Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

It's fun and exciting to belong to this school. Pupils are happy and extremely well cared for.

Leaders, together with the whole staff team, have created a very safe and secure environment for learning. Pupils live up to the school's motto, 'Learning together – learning for life'. Every pupil takes part in a wide range of activities and trips to bring learning alive.

By the time they reach Year 6, pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education across most subjects. They benefit from very strong teaching in reading.

Teachers and pupils have very high expectations of behaviour.

This starts straight away in Reception. Children learn very ...quickly what is expected. This is reinforced each year.

Pupils behave excellently in lessons, assembly and in the playground. They demonstrate self-discipline and maturity. Pupils look after each other and are very friendly.

They explained that if they thought bullying were to occur, both pupils and teachers would make sure that it was stopped.

This school offers pupils of all ages very many opportunities to develop their talents and interests, whether sporting, musical, dramatic or artistic, while achieving well in many subjects.

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

Pupils thoroughly enjoy their learning across the wide range of subjects.

Teachers carefully plan exciting and interesting activities. These help pupils become confident because they know a lot. Across the range of subjects, teachers have strong subject knowledge.

Across all subjects, teachers plan learning well. They build on what pupils already know. As a result, pupils have strong knowledge and skills across a wide range of subjects by the end of Year 6.

Music has a very high profile in this school. There is a strong emphasis on developing musical language and music skills in a carefully planned way from Reception through to Year 6. For example, Year 3 pupils correctly use words such as pitch and tempo.

They recognise the names of notes such as semi-breve. Pupils enjoy music lessons. Year 4 pupils all learn to play a brass instrument successfully and teachers join in with this.

Pupils have many opportunities to perform. For example, Year 2 pupils are learning songs to sing as part of a large choir in London. Pupils have recently enjoyed singing with a gospel choir from the nearest large town.

This widened their cultural experience.

In history, teachers have a first-rate understanding of the subject they are teaching. There is a strong emphasis on understanding the order of events with very young pupils.

Pupils' learning is well planned, and topics build on each other. Pupils remember important historical events and why they were important. For example, in a Year 1 lesson, the teacher held pupils' attention with her telling of the story of the 'gunpowder plot'.

She gave these young pupils the chance to think about belonging

to different groups in society, then and now. Subject leaders take their role seriously. Teachers value leaders' support and training for their subject.

The teaching and learning of reading are a strength of the school from the early years. Phonics in Reception and Year 1 and reading throughout the school are taught extremely well. In national tests, pupils do very well in reading and writing.

By contrast, pupils' progress in mathematics is not so strong. Unlike in reading, where over the last three years progress of Year 6 pupils has been in the top fifth of schools nationally, in mathematics it has only been broadly in line with other schools. Given their starting points, pupils should do better in mathematics.

Teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to practise and develop further their knowledge and skills in problem-solving and reasoning. Leaders recognise this but have been too slow in improving the quality of mathematics teaching to match the high quality in English.In Reception, activities for learning phonics and reading are well planned.

Children get off to a really good start in reading. Staff support children with activities such as writing about a balloon journey. Children benefit from well-established routines so that learning time is not interrupted.

They understand why it is important to eat and drink healthily. As the team is new, the leadership of the early years is developing. Leaders are reviewing what is taught to ensure better progress across all areas of children's learning.

For example, the difference in progress in the school between English and mathematics begins in the early years. Children have plenty of opportunities to write words. In mathematics, they only write simple numbers and not other mathematical symbols.

Staff provide exceptional opportunities for pupils' personal development. The energy and enthusiasm of leaders and teachers, especially in the 'energizer' dance routine keeping pupils fit and ready to work at the end of lunch, is impressive. Pupils learn to stay safe and healthy from an early age.

All Year 5 pupils learn bike safety. There is a vast range of activities, clubs, trips and visits. Leaders ensure that all pupils benefit from these.

Teachers prepare pupils for future employment through teaching about different jobs. Pupils attend an employability fair. Teachers ensure that pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is developed very well.

For example, pupils in Year 6 understand ideas such as democracy and the rule of law. They accept 'difference' including different lifestyles. The school promotes understanding of different faiths and cultures.

For example, during the inspection Diwali was being taught in a Year 4 religious education lesson and it was the focus of the key stage 2 assembly.

The school is at heart of the community. Pupils have many opportunities to participate in village and national events.

Leaders ensure that pupils leave the school with highly positive attitudes to learning together with well-developed personal skills. The school prepares pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, extremely effectively for the next stage of their education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The procedures for the recruitment of staff are secure. Staff are all well trained to keep pupils safe. They are clear about what to do if they have concerns about pupils.

The processes to seek support from external agencies are appropriate.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

By the end of Year 6, pupils are not proficient enough at solving mathematical problems. This is because the curriculum does not foster a common understanding among teachers of what pupils should know, understand and be able to do.

As a result, too few pupils reach a higher standard in mathematics. Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently give pupils enough opportunities to practise and develop fluency, problem-solving and reasoning. .

In the early years there is little evidence of exploring mathematical symbols beyond the formation of numerals. Additionally, children do not have consistent opportunities to play, explore and learn across all seven areas of learning. To develop, consolidate and deepen their knowledge and understanding, as well as apply core skills in reading, writing and mathematics, leaders should ensure that all pupils have greater opportunities to develop and demonstrate their skills in a variety of contexts and across all areas of learning.