St Herbert’s CofE (VA) Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud and happy to attend this welcoming school. Their relationships with each other and with staff are strong.

Pupils are caring and considerate towards others. For example, through their roles as 'seeds and gardeners', older pupils support children in the early years to feel happy and to settle in well when they start school.

Pupils' conduct embodies the school rules to be ready, respectful and safe.

Pupils behave well in lessons and move around the school in a calm and orderly manner. Any pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour benefit from the help and support that they receive from adults.

Pupils benefit from the wide range of t...rips, clubs and experiences that the school offers.

For example, pupils spoke excitedly about the fell walks that they have completed. They also enjoy visiting galleries and museums.

The school is ambitious for all pupils' achievement including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils enjoy their lessons. They rise to the school's high expectations for their learning. Pupils achieve well across a range of subjects.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for pupils, including those with SEND. Staff deliver the curriculum clearly and consistently. This enables pupils to achieve well.

The curriculum sets out the knowledge that pupils should learn. In most subjects, the key knowledge has been broken down into well-ordered steps that pupils will learn from the early years to the end of Year 6. However, in a few subjects, these smaller steps are less clearly defined.

This means that checks on learning are not as effective as they could be in identifying the gaps in pupils' knowledge. As a result, some pupils' learning in these subjects is not as secure as it could be.

The additional needs of pupils with SEND are accurately identified.

Staff provide timely and effective support to these pupils. Staff make appropriate adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum to ensure that pupils can access the same curriculum content as their peers. Pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

The school prioritises the development of children's language and communication skills in the early years. For example, staff introduce new vocabulary and give children meaningful opportunities to practise using these words. Pupils of all ages are exposed to a broad range of rich vocabulary through the books that they read.

The school's consistent approach to the teaching of phonics means that children progress well through the early reading programme. This starts as soon as children begin in the Reception class. The school provides effective support for less-confident readers.

The school ensures that the books that pupils read are well matched to their phonics knowledge. Pupils, including those with SEND, learn to read confidently and fluently.

The school has correctly identified that pupils' writing skills at the end of key stage 2 are not as secure as those in reading and mathematics.

The school has implemented a new approach to the teaching of writing to support pupils' development in this area. This includes a greater focus on teaching the technical skills of writing. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise and to embed their writing skills.

For some pupils, this hinders the quality of their writing.

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They told inspectors that they enjoy working collaboratively with their peers.

Children in the early years learn to focus for sustained periods and they quickly develop independence. Staff quickly address any disruption to pupils' learning if it occurs.

The school provides pupils with a wide range of experiences to support their personal development.

Pupils spoke positively about opportunities that they have to learn to play musical instruments, to try new sports, or to be part of the choir. They are proud to represent the school at sporting events and at poetry reading competitions. Pupils, including children in the early years, readily take on positions of responsibility, such as acting as school councillors.

Pupils understand the importance of fundamental British values and how these relate to their own lives. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

The school carefully considers the well-being of staff and their workload when making decisions about school improvement, such as changes to the curriculum.

Governors understand the school's priorities well. They provide effective challenge and support to improve the school further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not finalised the smaller components of knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that some pupils are not building their knowledge as securely in these subjects. The school should ensure that the precise knowledge that pupils should learn is clear, so that gaps in learning are identified and addressed.