St Andrew’s Church of England Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Andrew's Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's values of love, joy, hope, resilience, respect and friendship run through all aspects of school life. Pupils know how these values help them to be caring and thoughtful members of society. They learn to respect others because staff model trusting relationships.

This encourages pupils to behave well. Pupils found it hard to remember the last incident of bullying because it happens so rarely. There are many adults that pupils can turn to with their worries.

This helps pupils to feel safe.

Leaders expect pupils to do their best. Pupils know ...this and try hard to meet leaders' expectations.

The recently improved behaviour expectations ensure all pupils know how they should conduct themselves. As a result, classrooms are usually calm and orderly. Pupils are polite and well mannered.

They share leaders' aim for the school to be a friendly and welcoming place for everyone.

Most parents recognise the positive changes made by leaders. Parents commend leaders for the broad range of opportunities that pupils benefit from.

They recognise how these opportunities support pupils to be well prepared for the next stage in their education. As one parent commented, 'Staff create an environment of inclusivity, diversity and well-being for all.'

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

Leaders have made recent improvements to the curriculum.

In the core subjects, such as reading and mathematics, pupils build knowledge well. This is because teachers are clear about the most important knowledge pupils need to know and remember. Teachers break learning down into small steps.

They ensure pupils build on what they already know. Teachers use assessment to accurately identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge. As a result, pupils are able to build new knowledge well.

Leaders know that this does not happen as effectively in some foundation subjects. The sequence of learning in some subjects does not help pupils to know and remember more.

Leaders prioritise reading.

Staff regularly read books aloud for children to enjoy. These books are carefully selected to represent different cultures and backgrounds, as well as different text types. Leaders provide regular phonics training for staff.

This makes sure that all staff involved in teaching phonics understand the programme well. Pupils read books from home that contain the sounds they know. They become fluent readers.

Staff model sounds with accuracy and spot pupils who find it hard to read. Pupils who fall behind receive high-quality support to catch up with their peers. Leaders take care to nurture pupils' confidence while ensuring they progress well through the reading curriculum.

Older pupils enjoy speaking to visiting authors and finding out about the 'world of reading'.

Children in the early years start to learn phonics as soon as they join the school. Staff know children's needs well and encourage them to be curious learners.

They provide a well-resourced environment for children to explore. Staff have a secure understanding of how young children learn effectively. They know when to provide support and when to let children 'have a go' for themselves.

This promotes resilience and prepares children well for the curriculum in Year 1.

Leaders support the expertise of staff to help them identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as early as possible. Teachers liaise with specialists for advice about providing the best support for pupils.

They adapt learning to help pupils access the full curriculum offer. However, some pupils have targets that are too broad to be useful. The support they receive sometimes lacks precision.

Where this happens, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

Leaders carefully consider pupils' personal development. Pupils take pride in holding roles of responsibility, such as playground leaders.

They know how they make a difference to the life of the school. Pupils learn about others who live contrasting lives to them. They know that the world is different beyond the school's rural location.

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Staff recognise that leaders had to make many changes in a short period of time. They, at times, feel that their workload is high.

However, they comment positively on leaders' consideration of their well-being. They say that leaders listen to their concerns and take prompt action.

Governors have a strong understanding of their responsibilities.

They have the knowledge they need to support and challenge school leaders effectively. Governors hold leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive. They have a deep understanding of the next steps for the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders promote a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff understand the systems for keeping pupils safe.

Leaders regularly review the procedures for identifying, recording and reporting concerns to ensure they remain effective. They take prompt action to secure help for vulnerable families.

Leaders make the right checks during recruitment of new staff.

They ensure all adults are safe to work with children. Leaders' records of recruitment checks are accurate and in line with guidance.

Leaders know the risks that pupils face in the local area.

They provide guidance for pupils and parents about keeping safe online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The sequence of learning in some foundation subjects is not as well considered as it could be. Pupils do not build knowledge as well as they could.

Leaders need to review the curriculum design to ensure that the sequence of learning supports pupils to know and remember more over time. ? Some pupils with SEND have targets that are too broad to be useful. The support they receive sometimes lacks precision.

Where this happens, pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that pupils' learning targets are carefully considered and evaluated with precision.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good on 19 and 20 April 2017.