Pontesbury CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this warm and welcoming village school. Pupils, parents and carers are united in their belief that this is a wonderful school to attend. Pupils benefit from nurturing relationships with staff.

This helps them to feel valued, happy and safe.

Pupils behave well throughout the school. They are extremely kind to one another and show respect to adults.

The school actively seeks out and supports pupils' talents. Pupils take part in various clubs, including astronomy, and a range of sports and musical opportunities.

Staff want the very best for all pupils.

The school's motto of 'aim high, climb higher' reflects the school's ambitio...n for all pupils to achieve highly. Typically, they learn well across a range of subjects. Recent changes to the curriculum are supporting more pupils to achieve their full potential.

Children in the early years get off to the best possible start. They flourish academically and personally in the school's nurturing and stimulating environment.

Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) praise the way the school supports their children to develop.

Staff are knowledgeable about the strategies that pupils with SEND need so that they can learn well alongside their peers.

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

The early years provision is highly effective. Staff have high expectations for what children can achieve.

The curriculum provides a strong foundation for children's learning and development. Staff carefully design activities to ensure that they match the children's next steps in learning. Children are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

The school has made recent changes to strengthen the curriculum to meet pupils' needs. It has identified precisely the key knowledge and skills in a logical sequence that helps pupils to understand and remember their learning over time. The school has ensured that staff receive training and support so that they deliver the curriculum with expertise.

Staff identify and address any gaps in pupils' knowledge swiftly. As a result, pupils learn the curriculum well. However, sometimes, the quality of pupils' written work in wider subject areas does not reflect their true potential.

Pupils are not supported well enough to address errors in presentation, spelling and punctuation. This means that pupils repeat mistakes over time, which impedes their learning.

The school prioritises the effective teaching of reading.

It has responded swiftly to the low phonics outcomes in 2024 by ensuring that pupils who need additional help with reading receive regular, well-planned support. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme, and they do so with high levels of consistency. Pupils recall familiar sounds and words at speed.

Teachers present new sounds clearly. This helps pupils to develop confidence and fluency in reading. Older pupils enjoy reading a wide range of books across the curriculum.

Staff help pupils to improve their understanding of plot and character through in-depth discussions.This is a very inclusive school, and the provision for pupils with SEND is a strength. Staff swiftly identify the needs of these pupils.

Staff have been well trained to provide carefully tailored support for pupils with SEND to enable them to achieve well alongside their peers.

Pupils are polite and courteous, and they behave well. They enjoy attending school.

Attendance rates are positive. When any concerns arise around attendance, the school swiftly puts in place effective support to secure improvements.

The school has prioritised the wider personal development of pupils.

Staff recognise the importance of pupils enjoying their time in school. Pupils enjoy learning outdoors and love the school's new outdoor learning provision, which enhances their playtimes. Pupils benefit from the wide range of opportunities the school provides, for example when visitors and interactive experiences bring their learning to life.

Pupils learn how to stay safe and healthy. They understand that being active and having a balanced diet contribute to good health. They have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

The school supports pupils to develop their character and leadership skills through a variety of roles and responsibilities. These include librarians, house captains and school council members. While pupils demonstrate tolerance and respect to each other, their understanding of different cultures and fundamental British values is quite limited.

After some instability, leadership capacity has been strengthened and there is a strong shared purpose and vision. A skilled, enthusiastic and dedicated staff team ensures a strong culture of mutual support and teamwork at the school. Governors know their roles and responsibilities well.

They seek external views on the school's work and hold leaders to account effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The quality of pupils' written work across the wider curriculum is variable.

Pupils' mistakes are not consistently corrected promptly. As a result, some pupils repeat the same mistakes, which impedes their learning. The school needs to ensure that staff support pupils to address errors in their written work so that they achieve well.

• Pupils struggle to recall parts of the curriculum that develop an understanding of different cultures and British values. Their knowledge of these concepts is not developed well enough. The school should ensure that pupils have a secure understanding of British values and different cultures so that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.