North Stainley Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

North Stainley Church of England Primary School is rooted in the heart of the community.

Pupils are proud to attend the school. They are happy and safe at school. Pupils and adults describe how the school feels like a family.

Leaders want pupils to benefit from an ambitious curriculum. These ambitions are not fully met, as pupils learn less in some subjects than in others.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour, and these expectations are met.

Pupils behave well in and around school. They are mindful to keep themselves safe and to behave well when they move between the school building and the village hall at various times in the day. At ...break and lunchtime, pupils of all ages play happily together.

Pupils say that there is no bullying, and they are confident that adults would deal with it if it did happen.

Pupils have a sense of personal and communal responsibility. They enjoy having leadership roles, such as school councillors and sports or worship ambassadors.

They appreciate that these roles help to prepare them for later life.

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

Leaders have developed the curriculum in recent years, but their ambitions are not fully realised. The quality of education pupils experience is variable.

Leaders have identified the important topics that they want pupils to learn. However, they have not consistently broken this knowledge down into small steps of learning in all subjects. This makes it difficult for pupils to remember what teachers want them to learn.

In mathematics, the small steps that pupils need to take to make progress are clear. In other subjects, such as geography and science, the smaller steps have not been identified. This means that the curriculum is not taught consistently well.

Teachers' use of assessment varies. In mathematics, teachers use assessment effectively to inform planning and to check for gaps in pupils' knowledge. However, in some mixed-age classes and in foundation subjects, learning activities are not always well matched to the pupils' age and stage.

When this happens, pupils are not stretched enough, or the work is too difficult for them, and they do not make the progress they could.

The teaching of reading is variable. Leaders recognise the need for pupils to learn to read and have prioritised reading.

Children in early years start learning to read soon after they start in school. They are taught the sounds that letters represent by teachers who are trained in teaching phonics. Teachers identify pupils who may be falling behind with their reading.

Support is in place to help these pupils catch up. However, some younger pupils do not have books that are well matched to their phonic knowledge. This means that these pupils struggle to read their books and to make the progress that they might.

The curriculum and provision in early years is well designed, and leaders have identified the small steps that children need to learn. As a result, the youngest children thrive and make good progress, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Learning in class 1 (which includes children in the early years) is supported by routines that pupils understand and follow meticulously.

Pupils with SEND achieve well in lessons. Teachers adapt the learning they provide to ensure that they meet the individual needs of children.

Pupils understand the importance of being respectful and inclusive.

They agree that it is fine to be different at this school and link this back to what they have learned in personal, social and health education and worship. Pupils can talk about faiths and beliefs that they have studied in the curriculum. They discuss Islam, Hinduism and Humanism.

There are many opportunities for pupils to engage in extra-curricular activities, and these opportunities are open to all.

Governors are committed to their own and the school's improvement. They receive training and understand their roles well.

They are closely involved in the life of the school. Governors are well informed and provide leaders with the support and challenge they need.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders take safeguarding seriously. All staff receive training and know how to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff know how to report concerns, and records are kept when concerns are raised.

Leaders recognise that, while current systems are adequate, more efficient record keeping systems could be introduced, and they are exploring improvements.

Leaders work well with external agencies to support the most vulnerable pupils and keep a watchful eye when additional support is withdrawn.

Pupils are clear about what they have been taught about road safety.

They are also clear about how to keep themselves safe online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the small steps of knowledge that pupils need to learn are not clearly or consistently identified. Teachers are not clear on the sequences of learning that lead to given end points.

In some subjects, this makes it difficult for pupils to remember some of the key knowledge they have been taught. Leaders should ensure that sequences of learning are clearly mapped out so that pupils build knowledge and skills securely over time. ? For pupils at the early stages of learning, teachers do not match reading books carefully to the sounds that pupils know.

When this is the case, pupils struggle to read the words in their books. Leaders need to ensure that the books pupils are given are well matched to their phonic ability, to enable them to progress in their reading. ? The delivery of the curriculum in some of the mixed-age classes is not well matched to the age and stage that pupils are at.

Sometimes, pupils' age or stage of learning are not considered carefully enough. This means that they may have activities that are too easy or too difficult for them. Leaders need to ensure that activities are closely aligned to pupils' ability so that they develop cumulative knowledge over time.