St Peter’s Church of England Primary School, Cassington

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Cassington continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are deeply committed to unlocking their vision of 'minds that learn, hearts that love, faith that gives' in all pupils. Pupils want to know more, care for each other and serve others.

Pupils behave well and work hard. Teachers are quick to settle and refocus pupils if there is any off-task behaviour.

The school 'values wheel' is everywhere throughout the school, expressing the key ethos that leaders create.

Pupils understand what each of the 12 values mean precisely. These values play a crucial role in inspiring pupils to better the...mselves. Leaders do not tolerate bullying or derogatory language.

They work well with pupils to reflect on behaviour choices, making links back to the school values. Leaders have created a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe and respected.

Adults empower pupils to take on leadership roles, such as 'pupil voice' and 'chicken leaders'.

Pupils organise school events, raise money for charity and initiate change. For example, pupils have planted wildflowers to increase biodiversity in the school meadow. They say they are 'change makers' and, rightly, are very proud of their endeavours.

Pupils are happy at this village school and have big ideas about what they can achieve.

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

Pupils study a wide range of subjects that engage and excite them. In the early years, children receive a plethora of opportunities and experiences.

These broaden children's skills and knowledge well. Early years staff skilfully support children to improve their communication and language skills. There are interesting dimensions to the curriculum.

For example, key stage 2 pupils have just started to learn to speak and write Mandarin. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

In the majority of subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the exact knowledge that they want pupils to remember from Nursery to Year 6.

Teachers' subject knowledge is secure. For example, in science, the knowledge and skills leaders want pupils to learn, including how pupils will learn to work scientifically, are carefully sequenced. Consequently, pupils know how to design fair tests and compare results.

Teachers deliver lessons clearly and pupils' work is of high quality overall. Teachers check pupils' learning carefully, building on what pupils have learned before. They use these checks effectively to identify any gaps.

Teachers provide pupils with clear feedback to help secure learning, including in the early years. However, in a few foundation subjects, such as art and design, and design and technology, there is less clarity about what teachers should teach and what pupils should remember. Consequently, subject content is not taught in sufficient depth in these subjects.

This means pupils do not learn as much as they could.

Pupils learn to read quickly. Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to the teaching of phonics.

Staff teach phonics well and with fidelity to the chosen scheme. Children in the early years use phonics confidently to read and write words. Staff carefully match reading books to pupils' stages of reading.

Pupils who need extra support have regular additional sessions. These help them to keep up. Pupils enjoy reading.

Leaders have introduced an approach which encourages pupils to read more widely than their normal reading material. Pupils try out many different genres of literature and develop considered opinions about them, especially enjoying fantasy and mystery stories.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well.

Leaders are ambitious for these pupils. They quickly identify the individual needs and barriers of pupils. Staff provide strong support for pupils with SEND.

They ensure that resources suit pupils' needs and that pupils have strategies so they can work independently.

Pupils' wider development is a high priority for leaders and they plan for this exceptionally well. Leaders encourage pupils to think for themselves, take on leadership roles day to day and influence school policy.

Pupils develop into responsible citizens. For example, pupils plan and run their own lunchtime clubs for others, showing a great level of commitment. Pupils strive to make sure everyone feels included in school life.

They embrace uniqueness. Pupils have a strong age-appropriate understanding of protected characteristics, holding mature conversations about gender and disability issues. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Leaders are sensitive to teachers' workload with the many roles they carry out in this small school. Staff appreciate this and are proud to work at St Peter's. Governors and the trust share the same ambitions as leaders in wanting all pupils to be successful.

They know the school well, supporting and challenging leaders effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know the pupils and their families well.

They are well trained to spot any signs that pupils may not be safe. Staff report concerns, confident that leaders will deal with them well. Safeguarding records are well organised and thorough.

Very occasionally, they could be neater, so they are easier to read. Leaders take the right action to keep pupils safe.

There is a sharp focus on digital safety.

Pupils know how to fill out a 'Dino detective' form when concerned about something online. Leaders make sure that parents and pupils have up-to-date information about online risks.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of foundation subjects, leaders have not yet identified and sequenced all of the key content that teachers need to teach.

Pupils' knowledge in these subjects is not as deep or secure. Leaders should decide, with precision, what they want pupils to learn and remember in these subjects.

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 in April 2017.