Nenthead Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to attend this small school, which is at the heart of the local community. They value the positive relationships that they have with other pupils and with staff.

Pupils told the inspector that everybody is treated equally at their school, which they described as 'like a family'.

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Typically, pupils meet these expectations.

They achieve well across a range of subjects. Pupils appreciate receiving the school's TED awards for demonstrating 'technique, effort, desire' in their work.

Pupils behav...e well.

During lessons, they concentrate on their learning. This helps classrooms to be calm and purposeful. Pupils get along well together across the school.

They support and encourage each other, for instance by complimenting the pupil who is selected as the 'special person' for that week.

The school provides pupils with a rich range of experiences that enhance their learning. For example, pupils go on a variety of trips and visits to the local area and further afield, including to farms, museums, residentials and dance performances.

They enjoy many activities, such as canoeing, ghyll scrambling and after-school clubs in gardening, art and construction.

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

The school has designed a broad and balanced curriculum, which includes many references to the local area. It has identified the knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught.

In organising its curriculum, the school has carefully considered the mixed-age classes and the small number of pupils in each cohort.

Staff typically deliver subject curriculums well. They provide clear explanations and use subject-specific vocabulary during lessons.

Staff choose suitable learning activities that enable pupils to understand new curriculum content. In many subjects, staff use assessment information to check how well pupils are learning, and where future learning should focus. However, in a small number of subjects, staff do not determine well enough how secure pupils' prior learning is.

As a result, pupils have some gaps in their knowledge, which hinders them from learning as well as they should.

Pupils with SEND are supported well in their learning. Staff identify these pupils' additional needs quickly.

Staff work with parents and carers, and with external professionals, to enable pupils with SEND to learn well alongside their peers.

Staff foster pupils' love of reading well. For example, pupils have access to a well-stocked school library and visit a local bookshop and library.

A range of authors visit the school to talk about their work. Pupils enjoy reading from a range of texts.

The phonics programme is well established, and staff implement it consistently.

Pupils practise their reading using books that contain the sounds that they already know. Staff provide individualised and effective support to a small number of pupils who struggle with reading. This means that most pupils become fluent readers.

The school has been successful in improving attendance and reducing some pupils' persistent absence. Pupils understand the importance of showing respect towards others. They particularly appreciate times of togetherness, for example at lunchtime, which is a delightful social event.

In addition, pupils, staff, parents and local residents share a community breakfast morning each term. This gives pupils and their families a strong sense of belonging and it brings the local community together.

Pupils' personal development is a priority of the school.

Pupils learn how to stay healthy and how to keep safe, including online and when near open water. They learn about responsibility through being part of the school council. Pupils understand what it means to be an active citizen.

For example, they raise money for charities by selling cakes. Pupils also visit local care homes and take part in community art projects.

The governing body challenges and supports the school well in continuing to improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

Staff are positive about the teamwork approach and the school's consideration for their workload and well-being. For example, they said that they feel listened to and that they welcome the time given to them to fulfil their roles.

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, the assessment strategies that staff use do not check how well pupils have embedded prior learning. This means that pupils' learning in these subjects is not as secure as it should be, which results in some gaps in pupils' knowledge over time. The school should strengthen its assessment strategies in these subjects, so that pupils know and remember more.