St Andrew’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' behaviour is consistently excellent. They are impressively kind and respectful.

Pupils benefit from warm and positive relationships with staff and other pupils. This starts in early years, where children learn to be considerate and kind to each other. Pupils closely abide by the golden rules which include respecting differences and trying their best.

Their opinions are regularly sought and listened to. They understand the importance of accepting others for who they are and valuing diversity. This helps pupils to feel safe and have a sense of belonging.

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabi...lities (SEND). Pupils focus well during lessons and are keen to participate and focus. The calm and purposeful learning environment positively promotes learning.

As a result, pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Pupils keenly take on a range of leadership roles, such as lunchtime monitors, play leaders and reading ambassadors. They appreciate attending a broad range of clubs, such as drama, choir, netball and football.

These opportunities support pupils to develop skills to work as part of a team and to develop new talents and interests. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the education and care their children receive.

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

The school has carefully designed an ambitious curriculum.

Leaders have identified and sequenced the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that they intend pupils to learn and remember from early years onwards. The school supports staff to swiftly identify pupils with SEND. Effective support is provided to help individual pupils with additional needs.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. This supports them to explain new concepts clearly to develop pupils' understanding. The well-organised environment is designed to promote pupils' learning.

Within sequences of lessons, staff closely check pupils' understanding and help them to revisit and recall the most important content. This builds pupils' confidence and fluency and promotes their independence. Pupils take pride in their learning and good-quality work reflects their positive achievement across different subjects.

In some subjects, such as mathematics, skilful staff support pupils to recall previous learning over time. This helps pupils to gradually build their knowledge over time and to connect new learning to bigger ideas. This is not yet consistent across all subjects.

The teaching of reading is a high priority. Well-trained staff carefully follow the sequenced phonics programme. This helps pupils at the early stage of reading to decode with accuracy.

Pupils read books that are closely matched to the sounds they have learned. This supports them to read with confidence. Weaker readers are given effective support to enable them to keep up.

Older pupils are exposed to a wide range of texts from a range of different cultures that they might not independently read themselves. This extends pupils' vocabulary and knowledge of different authors. Pupils are proud of their 'millionaire' badges that reflect high levels of reading.

As a result, pupils develop a deep love of reading. This is reflected in the strong published outcomes for reading at the end of key stage 1 and 2.

Pupils' behaviour is impeccable.

From the moment children start in Reception, they are taught how to behave to meet the school's high expectations. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. This is reflected in high levels of concentration and a determination to do well.

Pupils of all ages play beautifully, are inclusive and kind. Attendance is high and leaders take effective action to support families where needed.

The provision for pupils' personal development is exceptional.

The school's impressive work teaches pupils to navigate through life safely, happily and healthily. Staff support pupils to develop a deep understanding of tolerance and respect, so that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils study different religions and cultures and confidently speak about the importance of equality of opportunity.

The school provides an array of extra-curricular clubs and ensures that disadvantaged pupils fully benefit from these. Pupils relish other experiences such as the school's contribution to Horsham Fair and the numerous singing opportunities. Pupils appreciate the importance of being active citizens and making a positive difference to their local community, such as performing to the local residential home.

Governors have a secure understanding of the school's strengths and what it wants to further refine. The governing body are effective, and they support and challenge the school well. Staff are proud to be a part of the school community.

They appreciate what the school does to reduce workload, such as adjustments to the marking policy. Everyone in the school community works positively together, keeping pupils at the centre of decision making.

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, pupils are helped to remember long term the content they have been taught but this is less well developed in a few subjects. This means that in these subjects, pupils' recall over time is less secure. Leaders should continue to refine their work, so that teaching supports pupils to achieve highly across the curriculum over time.

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