St Aidan’s Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff at St Aidan's enjoy warm and respectful relationships within this small and close-knit community. Staff know pupils well and this helps to ensure that they feel safe and are kept safe at school.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and state that their children are happy to attend.

Staff have high expectations for pupils' learning. Pupils study a broad range of subjects and achieve very well, including in national assessments.

Pupils are highly motivated and learn to study with increasing independence as they move through the school. Pupils enjoy the school visits that underpin the ambitious curriculum, such as those... to local museums and an overseas trip to Paris. These visits help deepen their understanding in different subject areas.

Pupils have many opportunities to learn inside and outside the classroom. They engage positively in learning in lessons, at lunchtimes and after school. There is an active student council, whose members generate ideas such as the 'Super Bonderful Read' event, where older pupils brought in their favourite book and read to their younger peers.

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

Pupils follow a rich and ambitious curriculum that matches the breadth and depth of what is expected nationally. In each subject, and areas of learning in early years, leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills pupils need to learn and remember. This is logically sequenced so that pupils practise and embed important concepts.

For example, in religious education, children in early years secure the vocabulary to describe the Christmas festival. This foundation knowledge supports older pupils to discuss more complex ideas about stories from different religions.

The curriculum is well implemented.

Staff receive high-quality training and have strong subject knowledge. This ensures that new ideas are clearly and precisely explained. Assessment is used effectively in order to check what pupils have learned.

This enables any errors or misconceptions to be swiftly identified and addressed. As a result, pupils build a deep body of knowledge across the curriculum. They draw on this when learning more complex ideas and are very well prepared for the next stage in their education.

The reading curriculum is highly effective. Staff have been well-trained to implement the school's phonics programme as soon as children start their Reception year. Staff provide well-targeted catch-up sessions for any pupils who struggle with their reading.

This helps pupils to quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers. Pupils achieve highly in reading and are thoroughly prepared for secondary school.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified.

Staff have been well trained to make appropriate adaptations so that pupils access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers, wherever this is possible. Pupils with SEND are well supported to apply and connect their learning across the curriculum and build a depth of knowledge and understanding.

Leaders have designed a carefully considered personal, social and health education curriculum to support pupils' well-being.

For example, pupils learn about the importance of recognising and celebrating diversity. Visits from the local police community support officer help pupils to understand potential local risks and how to keep themselves safe. Similarly, pupils are helped to understand what cyber-bullying is and what they need to do if it happens to them.

Pupils' mental health and emotional health are given high priority. For example, all pupils identify five trusted adults they can speak with if they are worried.

Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and around the school, demonstrating very positive attitudes to their learning.

This is because staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour that are consistently applied. Pupils are proud members of the St Aidan's 'STAR' community, where they embody the school's values of keeping safe, achieving and being respectful. Pupils readily display these values in lessons, around the building and in the playground.

Rates of attendance and punctuality are high. Leaders achieve this by being ambitious and having high expectations. There are secure systems in place to monitor and follow up any absences swiftly.

Staff appreciate the consideration leaders and those responsible for governance give to managing workload and well-being. Parents and carers are highly positive about the work of the school and the education their children receive.

Governors have a strong understanding of their statutory duties.

They provide effective support and challenge to school leaders. Governors recognise the school's many strengths and constantly strive to build on these, promoting a culture of ongoing improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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