Sidmouth Church of England (VA) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this friendly and inclusive school.

Staff know each pupil well. Relationships between adults and pupils are strong. Pupils are happy and safe.

They know they can speak to an adult to share concerns. Pupils trust staff to act on any problems quickly and effectively, and they do.

The school has placed the values of aspire, flourish and achieve at the centre of learning.

Staff have high expectations for all pupils' achievement and behaviour. Pupils respond to these. They are keen to learn, and most achieve well.

Pupils value the rewards they receive for making positive choices about their learning and behaviour.

Learni...ng extends beyond the academic. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to take on leadership roles, for example as eco-leaders and school councillors.

Older pupils support younger children through their role as prefects. This helps them to learn about responsibility.

Pupils develop a sense of citizenship through their involvement in civic events such as singing at a regional festival.

They experience a variety of educational visits. These develop their interests and their wider personal qualities. Pupils challenge themselves and manage risk during outdoor adventure activities.

These experiences give them a feeling of pride in their achievements.

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

The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum that helps pupils build knowledge and skills from Nursery to Year 6. In many subjects, the way that the curriculum is taught helps pupils to know and remember more.

For example, in mathematics, pupils use what they have learned about place value to order decimal numbers. However, in some subjects, the curriculum is not taught in a way that supports pupils to develop their subject knowledge incrementally. Consequently, some pupils do not build on prior knowledge as they should.

In many subjects, staff continuously assess each pupil and identify the next steps they need to take. However, in some subjects, the checks made on pupils' learning do not identify the extent of pupils' knowledge. Therefore, some pupils move through some curriculum subjects with ongoing gaps.

The school has placed communication and language development at the heart of the curriculum. This enhances pupils' ability to speak clearly and to build a rich vocabulary. In the early years, staff encourage children to use the correct vocabulary to express themselves.

Children in the Nursery enjoy listening to stories and joining in with well-known rhymes. This prepares them for learning to read when they start school.

The school prioritises reading.

Books match the phonic sounds that pupils know. Pupils quickly learn the knowledge they need to blend sounds together to read simple words. There is precise support in place for pupils who fall behind.

This allows pupils who require extra support to catch up rapidly with their peers. As pupils get older, they read books from a range of authors and genres and develop an understanding of the lives of others.

Staff swiftly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils' individual plans match their specific needs. The school also works with external agencies to provide well-planned support for pupils. Consequently, pupils with SEND progress through the curriculum successfully and participate fully in school life.

The school has a well-structured personal development programme. Pupils know their moral responsibility to accept and embrace people's differences. By voting for the school council, pupils learn about democracy.

Pupils learn how to look after their health and mental well-being. They understand what makes a healthy relationship. From the early years onwards, children learn how to work with others collaboratively, reinforcing the community feel of the school.

The school meticulously analyses the patterns and trends of pupils' attendance. It scrutinises the attendance of each pupil to find out what support it can offer to ensure that absence rates remain low.

The school has effective systems in place to deal with inappropriate behaviour.

If a pupil's attention lapses, staff quickly get them back on track. The 'cocoon' offers bespoke support for pupils who may encounter difficulties. They receive a range of strategies depending on what nurture they require.

This develops pupils' resilience and independence and boosts their self-esteem.

The trust and the hub boards have an accurate picture of the school through robust systems for quality assurance. They check that the school's actions are having a positive impact on all pupils.

Staff are positive about the guidance they receive to hone their practice. They appreciate how leaders are mindful of the impact on workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, assessment does not identify whether pupils have secured the skills and knowledge needed. Therefore, some pupils develop gaps in learning. The trust should ensure that teachers know how to use assessment to inform adaptations to teaching and consolidate pupils' understanding over time.

• In some subjects, the way the curriculum is implemented does not routinely help pupils build on their existing knowledge. Consequently, pupils do not learn as well as they should. The trust should ensure that all staff have the teaching knowledge they need to implement the curriculum as intended.