Rake CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Pupils and staff are friendly and welcoming, making school a happy place to be.

Relationships at all levels are kind and caring. Adults are supportive and nurturing. Teachers encourage pupils to work hard and do their best.

Pupils respond well to this. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They work hard.

Pupils of all ages play and learn together nicely. They form firm friendships and are respectful of one another. Pupils show genuine concern if someone becomes hurt or sad and they are quick to help.

When children join the school in Reception, they are paired with a 'buddy'. 'Buddies' are older pupils who show th...e children the rules and routines of the school. This helps children to settle quickly into the school community.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. Pupils are not worried about bullying. They say that it rarely happens.

Pupils are confident that when it does happen, teachers take it seriously and deal with it quickly.

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

Pupils experience an interesting curriculum. They develop important skills and knowledge in a range of subjects.

Leaders are ambitious in their approach to the curriculum. They are passionate about providing pupils with a rich learning experience.

Leaders have planned the skills and knowledge that they want pupils to learn in all subjects.

They have made sure that the curriculum is sequenced so that learning builds on what pupils already know and can do. For example, phonics teaching is planned well. Children get off to a good start learning phonics in early years.

They are keen to do well, trying hard to use their phonics to read unknown words. Pupils continue to do well in reading in key stage 2. Pupils read with fluency and discuss their reading with confidence.

Sometimes, the books that teachers select for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils are not challenging enough. Some of the books chosen by teachers do not help pupils to think deeply.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged do well.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with teachers and learning support assistants (LSAs) to consider the individual needs of these pupils. Together they use this knowledge to plan interesting activities that meet these pupils' needs well. Pupils with SEND, and those who are disadvantaged, take an interest in their learning.

With support, they work hard and do well.

Children do well in early years. Teachers plan activities that capture children's interest.

Children respond well to these activities. They show interest and concentrate well. Children are enthusiastic.

They are keen to join in with their learning.

Leaders have identified which subjects need to be improved. They are taking effective action to improve these subjects.

For example, in mathematics, teachers did not give pupils enough opportunities to think about how they solve mathematical problems. Leaders recognised this. They improved staff training so that staff now have stronger subject knowledge.

Teachers give clear explanations. They show pupils how to use their skills and knowledge to solve problems. Teachers question pupils carefully to check their understanding and to challenge their thinking.

Pupils develop a secure understanding of number and calculation. Pupils are confident to apply this knowledge to solve problems.

Leaders have also taken steps to address weaknesses in the computing and music curriculums.

Pupils have not been taught the full computing and music curriculums. Teachers do not have the subject knowledge they need to teach these subjects well. Leaders have identified these issues.

They have planned precisely what skills and knowledge they want pupils to learn in these subjects. Leaders' work to improve these subjects is in the early stages.

Leaders plan a wide range of experiences to enhance pupils' learning and personal development.

For example, pupils learn in the school's woodland area to take risks in a safe environment. They practise problem-solving skills and develop resilience. Pupils learn to persevere when things go wrong.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to be responsible citizens. Pupils contribute to the school's development through the school council. Pupils are also proud of the fund-raising they have done to help others.

Pupils are respectful of people's differences. They develop a strong understanding of different religions and cultures through effective religious education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that pupils' welfare is paramount. Leaders provide thorough safeguarding training for all staff. All staff take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously.

They know exactly what to do if they have any concerns about the welfare of a child. Governors check thoroughly on the school's work to keep pupils safe.

Leaders make sure that pupils are taught how to stay safe.

Pupils learn how to stay safe online. Pupils also take part in anti-bullying workshops and learn what to do if they experience bullying.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have planned in detail the specific skills and knowledge that they intend pupils to learn in all curriculum subjects.

This has been planned so that pupils learn content in the right order, with learning building on what they already know and can do. In most subjects, these plans have been successfully embedded. The computing and music curriculums, however, are not yet embedded.

There are aspects of the curriculum in these subjects that have not been taught to pupils. It is clear from leaders' actions that they have identified this issue and are in the process of embedding the full curriculum. Leaders must ensure that teachers are given the training they need in the music and computing curriculums, so that they teach these subjects well.

. Leaders need to ensure that the reading books teachers select for pupils in Years 5 and 6 are suitably challenging. Teachers should ensure that, through their reading of these books, pupils explore challenging concepts, deepen their thinking and are exposed to a wide range of sophisticated language.