Payhembury Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Payhembury Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils 'sparkle' at Payhembury Church of England Primary School. They are vibrant and considerate, with a real enthusiasm for learning. Pupils attend well because they want to be in school.

The 'PARCH' values are at the heart of all the pupils do. Pupils see the importance of these. They are fully demonstrated in pupils' conduct and way of being.

Parents and carers appreciate how their children take these core values beyond the school environment and embody them in all aspects of their lives.

Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are exceptional.... Relationships are strong and nurturing.

However, this does not dampen pupils' independence and determination. This acts to further fuel pupils to meet the high expectations the school has of them.

Younger pupils view the older pupils as positive role models.

The 'family groups' enable pupils to care for and support each other. They appreciate the reciprocal nature of interacting in this way. The number of roles of responsibility, such as eco, sports and school councils, allow older pupils to lead and contribute fully to the school.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum, including provision for wider development for all pupils. Staff have an accurate knowledge of pupils so that they are able to identify and meet their needs, whether social, emotional or academic. Staff have the expertise they need to help pupils overcome barriers to learning that some pupils may have, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The school ensures that all pupils can access the same ambitious curriculum. This begins from the very start in early years. As soon as they join in the pre-school, children learn the routines and expectations staff have of them.

This creates a purposeful and flourishing place to learn for all pupils across the school.

Pupils show a real passion for reading. They become reading experts as they move through the school.

Pupils know how the curriculum increases their comprehension, confidence and fluency so that they can read, and enjoy, more complex texts. Older pupils enthuse about the opportunities they have to reflect on what they read in their reading journals. At the earliest stages of reading, pupils learn the sounds they need, to read with increasing accuracy.

Children in pre-school are immersed in the school's' phonics programme. Consequently, they are fully prepared for the formal learning from the very start in Reception. The school quickly identifies pupils who may fall behind.

They receive the help they need to catch up.

Pupils share a love of mathematics. Their confidence and fluency have improved through changes to the curriculum the school has made.

Across the core curriculum, for example in writing, reading and mathematics, actions have been taken to further strengthen the outcomes pupils achieve and the successful way in which pupils learn and remember more over time. However, this is not yet as well established in the wider curriculum. The curriculum is not as securely embedded.

Although pupils can recall their most recent learning, they are not as confident in remembering and making links across what they have learned previously.

Pupils' wider development is a strength of the school. Pupils are encouraged to be part of the wide range of opportunities and experiences on offer.

Pupils value what this provides them with to be well-rounded and well-prepared individuals for the next stage and beyond. They say that this is one of the best things about the school. There are strong links with local schools and the local community, including the church.

These ensure that pupils have full and varied access to opportunities to perform, work together, compete and socialise with a wider group of peers beyond the close-knit 'family' of the school. Pupils have time to reflect and form views and opinions on their experiences. They are expertly supported and encouraged by staff to share these as well as listen to and respect those from others.

Governors have an insightful knowledge of the school. They gain the necessary assurances that leaders' decisions continue to move the school forward. Staff are dedicated and strive to give pupils what they need to be successful members of the communities they are part of.

They have what they need to do this with real success because of the inspirational leadership of the executive headteacher, who staff wholeheartedly agree 'really makes a difference to all'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subjects in the wider curriculum are not as well embedded as subjects in the core curriculum.

Where this is the case, pupils do not recall and build new learning as successfully as they do in other areas. The school should work to fully embed all subjects in the wider curriculum, so that pupils learn as well as they do in core curriculum subjects.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2015.