St Michael’s Church of England VA Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Governors, leaders and staff have high expectations for what pupils should achieve. These are mostly realised. From Nursery to Year 6, pupils achieve well because leaders and teachers work together to ensure they do so.

Pupils are happy and safe at school. The school celebrates pupils' achievements and positive attitudes through rewards. Pupils value this and know it has a positive impact on how pupils behave.

Pupils benefit from the work the school does to help them with their social and emotional needs. They are proud of their school.

Pupils know it is fine to be yourself and they have adults to talk to if they are worried about something.

Children... settle well in the early years and behaviour throughout the school is largely positive. Bullying is not common and, if it happens, staff work to resolve it, usually effectively.

Some pupils do not know as much about British values as they should.

This is because, although they have been taught concepts such as different types of families, they do not remember this well.

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

In some subjects, such as mathematics, published outcomes do not reflect how well pupils in the school are now learning. Past outcomes have been affected by a range of factors, such as staff changes and COVID-19.

These things are no longer hindering pupils' learning and they are achieving well.

The school has worked effectively to improve the quality of education since the school was last inspected. Leaders have put in place curriculums, from Nursery to Year 6, which set out what pupils need to learn and when they need to learn it.

Staff have strong subject knowledge. They follow leaders' curriculums and teach the different subjects well.

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

Leaders provide staff with the information they need to support pupils with SEND. Staff adapt what they are teaching to meet pupils' needs. As a result of the effective curriculum design, skilful teaching and extra help for those who need it, pupils from Nursery to Year 6 achieve well across the curriculum.

There is still scope for improvement. Pupils remember more of what they have learned in mathematics and reading than they do in other subjects. This is because, in other subjects, teachers often do not revisit key concepts to make sure pupils remember them.

While pupils do learn and progress in these subjects, they do not remember as much as they do in mathematics and reading.

The school has devoted time, money and energy to ensuring that pupils learn to read well. The school has introduced a phonics scheme that is validated by the Department for Education.

The school have trained staff in how to teach this. Pupils practise reading with books that closely match the sounds they have learned. Teachers adhere to the phonics programme and teach pupils well.

If pupils fall behind, the school helps them to catch up quickly by giving them targeted extra help. Pupils learn to read fluently.

The school manages pupils' behaviour well.

Teachers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and pupils largely adhere to these. On the occasions when pupils do not, teachers deal with this well. This ensures that pupils learn in a calm environment largely free from disruption.

The school has successfully improved levels of attendance. These have gone up markedly over the past two years and most pupils attend well.

The school ensures that pupils' personal development is largely well catered for.

There are clubs and a variety of trips, such as singing in an old people's home and visiting places of religious worship. The school helps pupils to learn about different careers, such as marine biology, by inviting in people who work in those fields. However, there are some aspects, such as pupils' understanding of democracy, which are not as well developed.

Pupils have been taught about this. However, as with some other subjects, the school does not make sure pupils revisit and securely learn these in the long term.

Leaders support staff well with their workload and well-being.

There is a positive team spirit throughout the school. Governors know the school well. They check and challenge the information leaders provide.

Collectively, governors, leaders and staff have moved the school forward and provide well for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school does not ensure that teachers revisit important concepts in subjects other than reading and mathematics.

This includes personal, social and health education. Consequently, pupils remember less of what they are taught in these other subjects. The school should determine which key knowledge teachers should revisit with pupils, and when, to ensure that what pupils are taught is retained and used to learn more.