Otterham Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school? '

Otterham is a wonderful school with a big heart', was a comment made by a parent about the school and fully supported by many other parents and carers.

Pupils who attend Otterham Community Primary School wholeheartedly agree. They say that the staff, with their care and nurture, are the best thing about the school. This enables them to feel safe and motivates them to meet the high expectations set.

Pupils and parents alike value the priority given to well-being and welfare. Pupils are ready to learn; they attend well and are proud of their school as a result. The attention given to increasing pupils' aspirations and awareness of the world around them is notable.
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Pupils enthuse about the visits to London, Penzance, Exeter University and Exeter Cathedral. They link these to their academic learning as well as appreciating the awe and wonder from the experience.

Pupils behave well and show positive attitudes to their learning.

In the playground and around the school, older pupils support and encourage younger pupils. Pupils are confident in expressing their views and opinions because of what they learn, academically, emotionally and socially. They are well prepared to move on to the next stage in their education.

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

The school has responded to the improvements highlighted in the previous ungraded inspection. For example, it has taken steps to increase pupils' fluency in number so that they are able to reason and problem-solve with greater success. In history, the curriculum focuses on chronology, making connections across events in history and with pupils' learning in other subjects.

Pupils, from Reception class through to Year 6, are using increasingly ambitious vocabulary. They are strengthening their oracy skills because this is woven through the history, geography and religious education curriculum.

The school has responded to the low published outcomes in 2023.

It is alert to the reasons for these, and positive impact can be seen on current pupils' learning and progress in core subjects. However, the writing curriculum is not as well developed as other core subjects. The school has strengthened aspects of the teaching of writing, but there remains a lack of coherence and shared understanding across the school about how effectively the curriculum is implemented.

Pupils in early years and key stage 1 are becoming increasingly fluent and confident readers. They read books that are matched to their abilities. When necessary, pupils get the support that they need to keep up with the pace of the phonics programme.

In key stage 2, pupils read widely and often. They enjoy adults reading to them. Pupils can talk about their favourite authors and genres, and do so with enthusiasm because the school promotes a love of reading.

However, this is not as secure in some areas as it could be. In English, along with some subjects in the wider curriculum, there is not sufficient capacity and expertise for the school to fully impact on the quality, development and assessment of the curriculum. Consequently, there is not enough oversight of how well pupils learn to the best of their abilities and how effectively teachers are using their knowledge and skills to support pupils towards the best possible outcomes.

The school places great importance on knowing pupils well. This means that from the very start in Reception class, children develop an enthusiasm for learning because adults extend, challenge and hone their interests. The school quickly identifies pupils who need more precise and additional support to help them overcome barriers to learning.

There is careful consideration for how these barriers are managed and reduced. This means that pupils, whether they have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or not, get the specific help they need, at the time that they need it.

The school's actions to improve attendance have resulted in pupils attending more.

They, along with their families, understand the importance of being in school to benefit from the quality education on offer. Pupils' education is extended through the wider development they receive. As a result, pupils know how people can be different.

They describe a culture of equality and respect in the school. Pupils are increasingly risk aware. They know the strategies that will help to keep them safe in areas such as online safety, healthy lifestyles and positive relationships.

This prepares them well for the next stage and beyond.

The school is positive about the support it receives from the trust. Where this work has been focused, the impact on pupils' education is clear.

Staff are dedicated and committed to work with the wider trust and do the best for the pupils at the school. This is evident in the improvements the school has made since its last inspection.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum for writing is not as well developed as other core subject areas. This has contributed to low outcomes in writing. The trust should make sure that the design of the curriculum for writing is strengthened and that this continues to be reviewed to ensure that all pupils achieve the best possible outcomes in their writing.

• In some subjects, there is not sufficient accountability for curriculum development and quality of provision. As a result, the curriculum design is not as established, and the school does not fully evaluate the effectiveness and consistent delivery of the curriculum. The trust needs to ensure that those with roles of responsibility have sufficient capacity and expertise to impact on the quality of education for pupils.