Othery Village School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Othery Village School. They say it is a school where they 'have a voice'. Adults know the pupils well.

Relationships are respectful and positive. Pupils say that if they have any worries, adults will help them. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Adults have high expectations of all pupils. From Reception Year, children respond well to these, and routines are well established. Pupils take great pride in the presentation of their work.

They are enthusiastic learners and are keen to share their achievements with visitors. Pupils experience a broad and balanced curriculum. Some areas of the curriculum are still being developed.

Pupils... demonstrate the school vision of 'honesty, respect and trust' throughout their daily interactions with each other. This creates a harmonious and purposeful atmosphere during lessons. Pupils of all ages play well together during social times.

This makes lunchtimes and breaktimes an enjoyable experience for all.

Pupils enjoy opportunities to develop leadership roles. Eco-warriors and house captains fulfil their roles with enthusiasm.

The democratic process supports pupils to understand the importance of fundamental British values. They are keen to make a difference to their school.

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

The school is ambitious for all pupils.

After a turbulent period of time, the school is now in a stable position. It has designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. This begins in Reception Year where children learn to communicate effectively and develop positive attitudes to learning.

Reading is a priority. Older pupils enjoy listening to and reading a broad range of books by classic and modern authors. Storytelling sits at the heart of the early years curriculum.

Children enjoy retelling traditional tales. This creates a love of reading. As soon as children join the school, they learn to read.

Adults teach phonics effectively, which supports pupils to segment and blend words and read fluently. Staff regularly check the sounds pupils know so that they do not fall behind. Some pupils who struggle to read, receive the support they need to catch up.

Pupils in the early stages of reading have books that match the sounds they know. This helps them to become confident readers.

The school has identified what they want pupils to learn in all subjects in line with the national curriculum.

In some areas of the curriculum, the school has identified the small steps of knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. This supports pupils to build on what they already know. For example, in mathematics, pupils practise and revisit number facts, which helps them to reason and tackle more complex problems.

Adults support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. They access the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

In some areas of the curriculum, the steps of learning do not routinely identify the important knowledge pupils must learn. This means that knowledge does not build on prior learning and pupils' understanding is not deepened. For example, in English, pupils write at length on a regular basis.

This helps them to build stamina. However, it is not clear what pupils need to precisely include in their writing in order to be successful and deepen their learning.

Adults use assessment information effectively in phonics, to identify any gaps in what pupils know and remember.

As a result, adaptations to the curriculum rectify this. However, this approach is not embedded in some other areas of the curriculum. In computing, for example, pupils struggle to recall how to create algorithms.

This means that pupils do not build knowledge well in these subjects.

The school has high expectations of pupils' attendance. There is a robust system in place to monitor this.

If attendance starts to fall, the school takes swift action to address it.

The school's curriculum supports pupils' wider development. They are well prepared for life outside of Othery.

Pupils recognise that everyone is different. They know that tolerance and acceptance are important and say that everyone is welcome in their school. Pupils' understanding of relationships and consent is commendable.

They have a mature and reflective approach. Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to contribute to their community, including fundraising and singing in the local church for the parishioners.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some areas of the curriculum, the steps of learning do not routinely identify the key knowledge that pupils must learn. As a result, pupils are not sufficiently well supported to build on prior learning and deepen their knowledge. The trust must identify the key components of knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils must learn so they are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

• In some subjects, assessment is not effective. This means that pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The trust needs to ensure assessment identifies what pupils know and can do and adapt the curriculum to address any gaps so that pupils know and remember more.