Preston Candover Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff prioritise encouraging pupils to love and care for others and the world around them.

Pupils are supported to demonstrate the school values of love, hope and justice. As a result, they are kind and respectful. Pupils make a highly positive contribution to the school through much-valued leadership opportunities that develop their confidence and character.

This includes positions such as those of language ambassadors and fair-trade representatives. As one pupil commented, 'We are all leaders here.'

Pupils behave well in this calm school and they play happily together.

Leaders strongly promote equality through all of their work, and pu...pils understand the importance of being welcoming to everyone. One pupil commented, 'At our school, everyone is included.' Staff encourage them to reflect after playtimes to consider which pupils have demonstrated kindness.

Bullying is rare, and incidents of unkindness are resolved swiftly by staff. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They are determined to prepare pupils for learning at secondary school and also life beyond. Pupils are inspired to have a love of learning and they achieve well across the curriculum.

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

Leaders promote pupils' personal and especially their spiritual development exceptionally well by providing a rich range of opportunities.

Staff strongly encourage pupils to reflect and appreciate the joy and diversity in the world around them. Pupils study inspirational, whole-school art projects, which they describe with enthusiasm and pride. Staff use highly effective personal, social, health and economic education lessons to equip pupils with the knowledge and skills they will need for life.

This includes learning about keeping physically healthy. Pupils enjoy exciting trips, such as to the Houses of Parliament. They benefit from events including careers fairs to develop their understanding of life beyond education.

The teaching of early reading is effective. Leaders provide high-quality training so that staff have expert knowledge. From the start of Reception, teachers follow the phonics scheme closely.

Pupils read books that accurately match the sounds they have learned, which helps them to develop fluency. Weaker readers are given carefully planned support to help them to keep up. Staff routinely read aloud to pupils, including from texts that promote being inclusive.

Pupils are motivated to complete the 'story wings challenge', which encourages them to read a range of different text types.

Leaders make sure that from the start of Reception, children study an interesting and well-sequenced curriculum. They are supported to build knowledge gradually over time.

For example, in Reception, children learn to identify simple feelings. By the end of Year 6, pupils study the importance of well-being to a balanced lifestyle.Leaders have carefully considered what important knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn and remember in each subject and are continuing to refine this.

Staff follow curriculum planning closely and recap prior learning to support pupils to remember the most important content. This helps pupils to link new learning with what they have studied before. In almost all subjects, staff accurately check pupils' understanding to inform future teaching.

The effective inclusion leader helps staff to identify pupils' needs quickly. She prioritises supporting less experienced staff to help them adapt their teaching. As a result, pupils, including those with SEND, usually achieve well.

In mathematics, not all teachers make consistently strong use of what they know that pupils understand and can do. Pupils sometimes choose the tasks that they complete. This means that, at times, some pupils complete work that is too easy or too hard, and so their learning is slowed.

Leaders acknowledge that this aspect needs strengthening.

From the start of Reception, children are successfully supported to learn the clear routines. Staff model the positive behaviour and language they expect pupils to demonstrate.

Leaders have ensured that there is a clear procedure for staff to use to manage behaviour. Some staff do not consistently follow this, and so a few pupils sometimes disturb others' learning. Pupils demonstrate highly positive attitudes to their education.

One Reception child enthusiastically commented, 'The best thing about school is all the learning!'.

There have been changes to the governing body. Despite this, governors have a clear understanding of their role and know the school well.

They use visits to check on the progress of school improvement work. This enables governors to hold leaders to account sufficiently. Almost all staff feel well supported by governors and leaders and value the professional development provided to help them in their roles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders provide high-quality training to staff so that they understand their roles and responsibilities. They know the risks to pupils in the local community.

Staff report concerns promptly, and leaders take swift action to ensure that pupils and families get the help that they need. Safeguarding record-keeping is comprehensive.

Pupils learn to keep themselves safe when online and in the community.

This includes studying road and sun safety. Pupils learn basic first aid and how to report an emergency. They are confident to talk to adults in school if they have a concern and know that they will be listened to and supported.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not consistently make accurate use of pupils' starting points in mathematics. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that all staff accurately check pupils' mathematical understanding and use this to inform their teaching.

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