St Andrew’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Laverstock

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders have successfully addressed the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Current pupils are now making stronger progress across the school. Leaders have established a caring and aspirational culture.

Vulnerable pupils and those who are disadvantaged receive effective support to overcome barriers to learning. Subject leaders' actions have secured improvement to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have used training opportunities effectively to improve the quality of teaching.

Governors have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They provide robust and effective cha...llenge to school leaders. The quality of teaching is good, especially in reading.

Phonics is taught well, and younger pupils quickly become fluent readers. Teachers plan enjoyable lessons which help older pupils to think deeply about their reading. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points.

Teachers and additional adults plan tasks which meet pupils' needs well. The school's provision for pupils' personal development, behaviour and welfare is outstanding. The school's values and ethos help to develop pupils' excellent behaviour.

Pupils are respectful, kind and considerate. Staff instil very positive attitudes to learning. Children in the early years make a good start.

They settle well to learning and are confident and inquisitive. However, too few children have exceeded a good level of development. Teachers do not always plan tasks which challenge the most able pupils well enough in reading, writing and mathematics in key stage 1.

Too few of the most able pupils achieve as well as they could. Although most pupils are making good progress in writing, their spelling is not always applied well, and this hinders some pupils' progress. Occasionally, teachers do not match work well to the abilities of pupils in mathematics.

The curriculum is broad and balanced and contributes well to the progress that pupils make. However, in history, geography and science, teaching does not develop pupils' knowledge and skills progressively.

Information about this school

The school is an average-sized primary school.

No new teachers have joined the school since the previous inspection. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are supported by the pupil premium is below the national average. The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.

The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. The school is a voluntary aided Church of England primary school in the Diocese of Salisbury. At its last section 48 inspection in 2014, it was judged as good.