Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils display positive attitudes towards school.

They are proud to be part of its community. Pupils play well with those from different year groups. The school teaches pupils what it means to be respectful towards each other and to recognise differences in opinion.

This enables pupils to develop positive relationships with each other. Most pupils attend school regularly. They enjoy earning stamps in their 'punctuality passport' to spend in the 'punctuality shop' at the end of the week.

Pupils recognise that it is important to be at school on time.

The school provides effective support to enable pupils to achieve well. Pupils, including those with sp...ecial educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), contribute effectively to the life of the school through roles such as those of school councillors and play leaders.

Pupils carry out these leadership responsibilities with maturity. School councillors work with their peers to find ways to develop the school further. This has included successfully establishing a food-swap shop at the school.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They appreciate the opportunities that the school provides to involve them in their child's learning and development. Assemblies to celebrate pupils' work and family film nights contribute to the school's welcoming and inclusive ethos.

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

Leaders have made pragmatic decisions to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils. The school has successfully implemented an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have broken down the skills and knowledge that pupils must learn in each year group.

Pupils speak with confidence about what they have learned. They make connections with prior learning. For example, in history, pupils consider the similarities and differences between the different time periods that they study.

Over time, they build an increased understanding of events in chronological order. Teachers skilfully teach pupils in mixed-aged classes. They ensure that pupils complete work that is commensurate with their year group.

Pupils, including those with SEND, benefit from the support provided by adults in class. Adults teach pupils with confidence. They skilfully support pupils to access their learning.

Teachers regularly check that pupils have remembered important knowledge and skills. Teachers' strong subject knowledge enables them to address pupils' misconceptions quickly. Pupils demonstrate a mature approach to their studies.

For example, in key stage 2, pupils review their work at the end of each lesson. They assess whether they have achieved what was intended in the lesson. This helps them to develop independence in their learning.

The school has implemented a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. Children begin to learn the sounds that letters represent from the very beginning of their time in Reception. Pupils read books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge.

They successfully use strategies to segment and blend words. This helps pupils to read with increasing fluency and accuracy. Pupils read a variety of texts by different authors and from a range of genres.

Most pupils develop a love of reading. Pupils enjoy listening to stories read by adults. This daily routine fosters an enjoyment of reading.

In early years, adults support children's learning effectively. They know the children well. Adults successfully promote the development of communication and language through high-quality interactions with children.

Children engage with activities linked to the topic of the week. During the inspection, in Nursery, children enjoyed exploring the different sounds that are encountered when reading 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. Following a period of change, the school is in the process of refining its curriculum in this area of the school.

Sometimes, children do not benefit as much as they could from the school's early years curriculum. This is particularly the case when children are playing without the support of an adult.

The school's personal, social and health education curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn how to stay safe, including when online.

Older pupils demonstrate an age-appropriate understanding of healthy and unhealthy relationships. Pupils learn about different faiths and beliefs. Visitors to school from a range of faith groups enable pupils to learn about, and appreciate, other people's beliefs.

This broadens their knowledge of a variety of religions.

Governors regularly visit the school. This helps them to develop an accurate understanding of what the school does well and what needs to improve further.

Governors hold leaders to account by providing effective challenge and support. Governors and school leaders know that it is important for them to assure themselves that the newly designed curriculum is having the intended impact for pupils as it becomes more established.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The early years curriculum is at an early stage of development. The school has only recently developed strategies to identify and respond to gaps in children's learning. The school should further refine the early years curriculum to respond to children's development and learning needs so that children consistently benefit from meaningful learning opportunities.

• The school's curriculum has undergone a change following a review by leaders. Until now, it has not been possible to evaluate fully the impact of this because many of these improvements are recent. Leaders, including those with responsibility for governance, should assure themselves, as changes become established, that pupils learn what leaders intend.