Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Leadership and management are good. Leaders have taken effective action to steer the school through a period of staff change. The headteacher and governors have appointed skilled teachers and strengthened staff and governors' leadership roles.

These developments have restored better teaching through the school, which is quickening pupils' progress. By working efficiently as a team, the school's leaders show a secure capacity to improve further. Staff work diligently to sustain a supportive sense of community, which strongly promotes the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Pupils enjoy school and share very... supportive relationships with each other and with staff. Pupils behave well and their attendance is consistently above average. The school's work in keeping pupils safe and secure is good.

Discussions with pupils and parents and responses in questionnaires support this view. Teaching is good. This ensures that all groups of pupils make good progress.

A small, but increasing, proportion of teaching is outstanding and is rapidly raising standards. Pupils' increasing skills across the school reflect good progress in response to improved teaching. Pupils currently in Year 6 are working at levels higher than might be expected for their age, which show good achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.

Early years provision for children in the Reception classes is outstanding. As a result, children make excellent progress and are very well prepared for future learning in Year 1. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Whilst good, the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) in Years 1 to 3 does not match the very good practice seen elsewhere throughout the school.

As a result, some pupils in these classes do not make the rapid progress they are capable of. At times, teachers do not move pupils on to harder work quickly enough when it is clear they have the ability to do so. Teachers do not always ensure that pupils fully act on the guidance given when they mark their work and this restricts the amount of progress pupils make.

Information about this school

This school is similar in size to the average-sized primary school. The majority of pupils attending the school are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from a minority ethnic background and the proportion of pupils who have English as an additional language are close to the national average.

The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs is above the national average and is consistently above average in all classes. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is broadly average. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Children in receipt of early years provision attend the school's Reception class on a full-time basis. The school provides both breakfast and 'Stay and Play' after-school clubs and these were part of this inspection.

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