Sandford School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Beginning in the early years, the inclusive ethos is a strength of the school. Children and staff form warm relationships.

Children settle quickly into school and are keen to learn. The school's nurturing approach helps children develop resilience and learn how to cope with setbacks.

In the main school, pupils behave well in lessons and at social times.

Pupils know what bullying is. They say it happens sometimes. Staff deal with any incidents quickly.

Pupils value this. Pupils appreciate the 'worry boxes' around school to enable them to communicate their concerns and receive support. As a result, they feel safe.

Pupils enjoy learning outdoor...s where they cook bread over an open fire, make dens or collect eggs from the school chickens. Visitors and trips help pupils to engage with their learning and bring the curriculum to life. A federation-wide residential trip to Bath contributes to developing pupils' character.

The school offers pupils a range of clubs. Dodgeball, drama and multi-sports are all popular with pupils. Pupils participate in sporting events like the federation tag rugby tournament.

Many choose to learn musical instruments such as flute, keyboard, clarinet and saxophone. These pupils perform a variety of popular music in the school band.

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

The school has designed a new curriculum that is well sequenced to show the knowledge that pupils need to learn and in what order they need to build it.

However, the curriculum is new and has not had time to embed. As a result, in some areas the school has not checked how well the curriculum is working to help pupils to learn. This means that in these areas pupils do not learn as well.

Pupils learn mathematics particularly well. In the early years, children explore mathematics in practical ways. For example, they use different objects to learn about sequences.

This helps them to develop strong foundations in mathematical understanding. Teachers use assessment in mathematics well throughout the school. They regularly check what pupils have remembered and adapt learning so that key information is revisited if needed.

This helps pupils to build on their knowledge from the early years to Year 6.

Children in Nursery and Reception settle well from the day they join the school. Children learn to explore, create and be active.

They benefit greatly from rich and exciting activities. Through a well-planned curriculum, they develop their speaking and listening, physical movement and early mathematics knowledge.

The school has made reading a priority.

Children start to learn their letters and sounds as soon as they join the school. All pupils enjoy daily story and reading time. Adults use the school's chosen phonics scheme to help pupils at the early stages of reading gain confidence and fluency.

Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they are learning. This means they practise reading the sounds they know. Pupils who need extra help or have gaps in their learning are identified quickly and given the help they need to catch up.

Once pupils have built confidence in their reading, they read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books in the well-stocked library.

The school has high expectations for pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school is quick to identify the needs of these pupils and knowledgeable staff support them well in and out of the classroom.

Nevertheless, the next steps identified for these pupils sometimes lack precision. This means that, on occasion, some pupils with SEND do not receive the support they need to make the best possible progress.

Pupils are proud of the leadership roles they hold.

School librarians help to promote a love of reading. Play leaders teach younger pupils' games in the playground. More recently, school councillors have been elected and have plans to develop the playground.

The school ensures that pupils have opportunities in all subjects to reinforce some of the key learning from personal, social and health education (PSHE), for example in geography by boosting pupils' awareness of climate change. The PSHE curriculum helps to broaden pupils' understanding of different faiths and cultures. Pupils understand the importance of equality and respect.

Governors understand their roles well. They share the same ambitious vision for pupils and staff. They support and challenge the school.

Staff feel well supported by governors and school leaders. As a result, they are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the school has not fully checked on the implementation and impact of their curriculum. This means pupils do not learn as well in these areas. The school needs to check that the curriculum is implemented as intended so that it has maximum impact.

• Some pupils with SEND do not benefit from precise, targeted support. This means they sometimes do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that targeted support is well designed so that all pupils with SEND learn well.