Shottery St Andrew’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Shottery St Andrew's is a small school with a friendly, family feel.

The school has a strong community spirit. The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils rise to these high expectations.

They enjoy school. The school teaches pupils their SHINE values, which include being sincere and happy. Pupils demonstrate these values in their learning and behaviour.

Pupils are cheerful, polite and welcoming. They enjoy positive relationships with their peers and adults. They value their education and this is reflected in the improved rates of attendance.

Pupils behave well. Th...ey understand the school's high expectations of their behaviour, both in lessons and at play. Pupils benefit from staff knowing them very well as individuals.

Pupils are confident that if they have any worries, there is always an adult in the school who will listen and help.

Pupils embrace the range of leadership opportunities that the school provides for them. These include being student councillors, house captains and members of the collective worship committee.

Pupils regularly lead assemblies and promote key messages to the whole school. The school provides pupils with a range of clubs that develop their talents and interests. These activities include dance, choir and coding clubs.

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

The school's curriculum is broad and ambitious. The school uses it to help celebrate its locality. The curriculum is designed to effectively support pupils' learning in both mixed-age and single-age classes.

The school has identified the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary it wants pupils to learn and remember. The school provides guidance and training for staff. This has resulted in a common approach to teaching.

The curriculum also considers the needs and development of young children in the early years foundation stage. The school recognises the importance of children in the early years securing a firm foundation for their future learning. Staff support children to settle quickly into the school's routines.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They give clear instructions and explanations in lessons. They regularly check pupils' understanding and do not allow errors to go unchecked.

There is a key focus on developing pupils' ability to remember their learning in all curriculum areas. However, in mathematics pupils do not have a secure recall of their times tables. This impacts on the mathematical fluency they need for future learning.

The teaching of reading and phonics is a high priority in school. Through the school's reading curriculum, pupils become fluent readers. They benefit from a range of challenging texts.

For pupils who are at the earlier stages of reading, additional support helps them to catch up quickly and develop into confident readers. Pupils enjoy reading for pleasure.

The school has rightly identified that improvements need to take place in the teaching of writing.

Steps have been taken to address this, which can be seen in the content of pupils' writing across the curriculum. For some pupils, their handwriting, letter formation and lack of writing fluency does not reflect the quality of their written work.

The school is ambitious for pupils with SEND.

Typically, pupils with SEND are provided with classwork and resources that are appropriately adapted so that they can learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. The school identifies pupils who may require additional support from the beginning of the early years.

The school teaches pupils the behaviour they expect and pupils respond to it well.

Teachers remind pupils of the 'ready-to-learn' expectations. This helps pupils to focus. Around the school, pupils' conduct is safe and considerate.

They follow clear routines and take opportunities to help each other. Pupils are polite and well mannered.

Attendance is a high priority for the school.

The school works closely with families where pupils' attendance is a concern. The school has robust processes in place to monitor attendance. A well-defined, staged approach is used effectively in order to help pupils come to school often.

As a result, attendance has greatly improved.

Pupils' personal development is at the heart of the school's work. They recognise healthy relationships and understand how to keep themselves safe, including online.

Pupils have an understanding of key concepts, such as democracy and individual liberty. They develop a mature appreciation of equality, difference and respect. Pupils participate in a range of experiences to enhance the curriculum, such as rock climbing, archery and taking part in the bell boating regatta.

Staff are proud to work at Shottery St Andrew's. They appreciate the many professional development opportunities on offer. Governors know the school well and fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively.

They hold leaders to account for the quality of provision but also consider staff well-being. Parents are typically very positive about their child's experiences at school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are some inconsistencies in the school's approach to improve the quality of writing. The handwriting aspect of some pupils' work does not reflect the quality of their written work. The school should ensure that pupils are provided with the support they need to write with fluency and with accurate letter formation, so that they are well prepared for the next steps.

The school does not have a consistent and rigorous approach to the teaching of times tables. As a result, pupils do not develop the mathematical fluency they need for future learning. The school needs to implement a clear approach to ensure pupils have secure knowledge and recall of multiplication facts.

Also at this postcode