Selborne Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

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

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this school.

Right from the start of the pre-school, they are known as individuals by staff. Pupils love their school and describe their teachers as kind and firm. They are expected to behave well and work hard.

Pupils rise to this challenge, taking pride in their school community and achieving well.

Respect is the backbone of this inclusive and vibrant school. Bullying is not tolerated.

Pupils readily accept each other's differences. They know that their opinions matter to staff. There are a range of ways that pupils can make a... positive difference to the school community.

Roles such the school and eco councils, and church reps are important and valued. Pupils relish the recently extended extra-curricular offer. They love attending choir, band and sports clubs.

These help to develop pupils' talents and interests well. Pupils benefit from exciting enrichment activities, such as visiting museums, residentials and outdoor learning.

Pupils and their parents and carers note the many positive steps that the school has taken recently.

They comment that the school's educational offer has strengthened. Parents wholeheartedly praise work of the school, describing how staff go above and beyond to ensure that their children flourish.

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

The school has a clear vision that all pupils should receive a high-quality education.

Leaders and governors work with commitment, energy and determination. Governors offer helpful support to leaders. Staff feel that leaders are mindful of their well-being and professional development.

They are very proud to work here.

The school has reviewed its curriculum to ensure that it is broad, balanced and logically sequenced. The important knowledge that pupils need to learn has been identified.

It is broken down into smaller steps across most subjects. Pupils incrementally build on what they already know. These improvements have helped pupils to understand and remember more over time.

This is also true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff skilfully adapt activities and resources so that pupils with SEND can also achieve well.

In subjects such as mathematics, teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They make sure that pupils have resources that support their learning well. Staff adeptly check pupils' understanding and address any misconceptions. From pre-school and early years, children develop confidence in numbers and shapes.

They are well prepared for key stage 1 and beyond. However, in just a couple of subjects, teachers' subject knowledge is less strong. Here, their expectations of pupils' work are lower than in the most established subjects.

This means that while pupils broadly achieve well, they could do even better. The school knows this and is working to address it.

The school has built a sense of momentum around reading.

It is a very high priority. Pupils know how important reading is and enjoy the many books on offer. Children in pre-school and early years readily describe their favourite characters from the picture books that they regularly read.

Staff are experts at teaching reading and phonics. They make sure that pupils with SEND and those who do not speak English as a first language are well supported. Staff help pupils to understand both the sounds and the meaning of words.

The school spots any pupil who struggles with reading and provides extra help. This allows pupils to gain confidence and read with fluency. Pupils' achievement in reading and phonics is fast improving.

The school has consistently high expectations of how pupils should behave. Staff treat pupils with care and consideration. Pupils respond to this well.

They say that behaviour has improved more recently, and that the school is a kind and calm place. Routines are well established. In early years, play is harmonious.

Children are taught to cooperate and share their toys readily. During lessons, pupils focus attentively on their learning and are keen to do well. Very occasionally, a pupil with SEND may find it hard to behave as the school expects.

Here, they are well supported by their understanding peers and caring staff.

Pupils' personal development is a strength. Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to keep themselves happy, healthy and stay safe, including when online.

Pupils show respect for different faiths and cultures. They have an age-appropriate understanding of the protected characteristics and try to make everyone feel accepted. The school values of 'courage, fellowship, truth and love' are well understood by pupils.

They trust adults to help them with any friendship issues. Older pupils are well supported to be ready for secondary 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 couple of subjects, the curriculum is not designed with the same degree of precision as in the strongest. In addition, staff do not have the same high level of subject knowledge in these less established subjects. Their expectations of pupils' work and achievement are lower than in the strongest subjects.

This means that while pupils achieve well overall, in a couple of subjects, they could do even better. Leaders should ensure that all subjects are designed with the same degree of precision as the strongest and that staff are trained to deliver all subjects to an equally high standard.

Background

When we have judged 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 October 2014.