St Bartholomew’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Wigginton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

In this small, close-knit school, staff know pupils and their families very well. Pupils are happy to be here. Staff take good care of them.

The sense of community and positive working relationships with adults make them feel safe. Everyone who joins the school is made to feel very welcome. Pupils of all ages show good discipline and can be relied upon to act sensibly as they move around the school and on the playground.

Staff ensure that pupils in all year groups and classes enjoy a broad curriculum. Pupils are expected to complete all their work, although sometimes they are not challenged sufficiently to produce the highest standards of which they are capable.
<...br/>Staff make sure that a suitable range of extra-curricular clubs are available to meet pupils' different interests.

These include sporting activities, construction club and gardening club. Pupils sing tunefully and with great gusto in assemblies. All pupils in Years 5 and 6 take part in a big choral event at a large arena in London.

Pupils learn the importance of treating everyone fairly and equally. However, their experience and understanding of cultures and communities other than their own are quite limited.

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

The school's curriculum has undergone considerable revision in the past three years.

Staff faithfully and consistently follow the new phonics scheme. Children in the early years quickly learn letters and the sounds they make. By the end of Year 1, pupils can confidently understand difficult words.

The few who struggle get effective support to help them catch up. Older pupils enjoy reading and have a good range of appropriate books to choose from in their classrooms and in the school library. As a result, pupils become enthusiastic and fluent readers.

From Year 1 to Year 6, pupils study the full range of subjects in the national curriculum. Staff ensure all the requirements of the early years foundation stage are met. Links between the early years programme and learning in key stage 1 are developing.

Teachers and teaching assistants work very well together in a way that supports pupils at different stages in their learning. Staff identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know pupils' needs and how to meet them.

Consequently, all pupils are helped to participate equally in all learning activities.

Teachers present information clearly and confidently. They have suitable knowledge of the different curriculum subjects.

While this ensures that all content is covered thoroughly, teachers do not always check pupils' understanding. This means that some activities do not help pupils gain a secure understanding of what they have learned previously or build on previous learning. In particular, this leads to some pupils' work not being as good as it could be, for example in their written responses or in their drawing.

Attendance is high, with staff following up on any absences swiftly. Pupils are polite and show excellent manners as they play and move around the school. The kindness they show each other reflects the behaviour staff model for them.

Pupils who sometimes find it difficult to behave get help to keep control over their emotions. This keeps them involved in learning. While pupils always show respect in lessons, on a few occasions they lose concentration and need reminding to keep their focus.

This happens particularly when teaching does not capture their interest or attention. In the Reception class, children quickly learn to take turns and listen attentively.

Some aspects of the school's work to promote pupils' personal development are very strong.

Pupils have opportunities to be reflective and thoughtful. The personal, social and health education programme allows them to discuss important issues about relationships and their safety in an age-appropriate way. Staff are sensitive and take account of the different stages that pupils are at, particularly in the mixed-age classes.

Pupils are taught the importance of showing equal respect to everyone. The curriculum includes some units featuring, for example, art from different traditions and the geography of different countries. However, pupils have fewer opportunities to learn about cultures and societies that are different to their own.

Staff are very positive about the support they receive through training and the school's consideration of their workload. Governors are knowledgeable, providing a good balance of support and challenge to leaders at all levels. Working relationships with parents and carers are strong.

The school is particularly careful to ensure that pupils and their parents are afforded equal opportunities and respect, whatever their backgrounds.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not always check on pupils' understanding effectively.

This means that teaching activities do not always ensure that pupils learn and remember more to achieve a greater depth of understanding. Some pupils' work is not of a consistently high quality. The school should ensure that teachers use their checks on pupils' learning to ensure that learning activities always build on pupils' previous learning effectively or help to consolidate pupils' understanding.

• There are limited opportunities for pupils to learn about a range of different cultures beyond their own school community. Pupils' understanding of cultural diversity is not as strong as other aspects of their personal development. The school should provide more opportunities for pupils to learn about cultural diversity.