Slindon CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

A warm welcome awaits all who walk through the doors of this small but wonderfully inclusive school. Pupils happily come to school due to the positive relationships that they build with friends and nurturing staff. Pupils learn to care for each other and their wider community.

Opportunities to raise money for charity help pupils to know the importance of being a good citizen. Pupils learn and play cooperatively together. They learn to share, take turns and help each other feel included.

They are keen to let visitors know that they 'love their school'.

Pupils feel safe in school because clear and consistent routines help them know what to expect. Pupils learn ...to be reflective, developing an astute awareness of their own emotions and the impact of their behaviour on others.

Staff consistently help pupils to settle any disagreement between them effectively. Pupils are very kind and polite, making the school a calm and orderly place to learn.

Pupils enjoy learning because teachers make it memorable.

Pupils try hard to achieve the high expectations that staff have of them. A wide range of trips and visits to places such as local farms complement what pupils learn in the classroom. This helps pupils develop a richer understanding of topics and concepts.

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

The school has undergone a number of recent changes. Most staff are very new. However, an unwavering commitment for pupils to learn a high-quality curriculum remains constant.

The school has developed strong partnerships with other local schools and stakeholders, such as the diocese and the local authority. These partnerships ensure all staff receive high-quality training to support pupils to learn well. Governors regularly visit the school to check that staff are providing pupils with the education they need for the future.

Many parents and carers speak positively about the recent changes. Many commented that they 'feel part of the school family'.

Pupils learn to read as soon as they start school.

Staff help pupils learn new letters and corresponding sounds in an ordered way. This helps pupils learn to read with increased confidence and fluency. Those who need additional help receive this.

Interesting texts provide pupils with inspiration they can use in their written work. The school focuses on developing pupils' ability to write with greater depth and complexity.

In most subjects, the curriculum identifies the important knowledge and skills that pupils need.

There is a clear focus on developing pupils' accurate use of subject-specific vocabulary. The school is refining the curriculum in some subjects to ensure it builds on prior learning. In some of these subjects, teachers do not always ensure that pupils are sufficiently knowledgeable before moving on to new learning.

This means that some pupils struggle to make connections between ideas and remember learning.

Staff do not always have the expertise that they need to make learning accessible for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teaching is not consistently designed to help some pupils process and remember new information.

This means some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could. The school is aware of this and is providing staff with training to address this issue.

Many pupils attend school very well as they do not want to miss important learning.

Sensitive support is effective in removing barriers to regular attendance. The same thoughtful approach helps pupils who struggle to manage their feelings and behaviour. The school is swift to provide support that pupils need to help them flourish.

The school provides extensively for pupils' wider development. After-school clubs, such as philosophy club, and residential trips enrich pupils' learning in the classroom. Pupils purposefully debate important questions such as 'Would you still be good if there were no laws?' Pupils learn to develop strong morals and are respectful of differences.

The school is focusing on developing pupils' awareness of different cultures. The school is relentless in making sure that pupils are well prepared for life ahead.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Staff do not always suitably tailor adaptations to learning to meet the individual needs of pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils do not access the curriculum as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers have the expertise they need to adapt learning that enables all pupils with SEND to access the curriculum successfully.

• Learning is not always suitably adapted to close gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills. This means some pupils do not learn as well as they should. The school should ensure that all staff have the training that they need to routinely identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge.