St Peter’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior, Infant and Early Years School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils should learn and experience. These expectations are realised. Pupils feel safe in the school and they are happy.

If they have any concerns or worries, they know they can go to a trusted adult and that they will be supported.

Positive relationships are at the centre of the school's work. Adults provide excellent role models for pupils.

Staff build a caring ethos of school through strong pastoral support and day-to-day interactions.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils behave well.

If behaviour falls below these expectations, adults help pupils to reflect so that they c...an make better choices moving forward. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens, but that if it does, adults always sort it out.

Opportunities are woven into all curriculum areas to broaden pupils' learning experiences.

These include visits to a wildlife park. The school ensures that learning is given clear purpose and builds pupils' awareness of careers. For example, a cartographer visited the school to talk about how this role links to what pupils learn in geography.

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

Leaders have accessed curriculum training from external experts. They have used this to create a curriculum that is well sequenced and purposeful. Pupils get the opportunity to make links in their learning.

They reflect on prior learning and have discussions related to what they learn. This supports pupils to embed their understanding. Adults review pupils' understanding and identify any gaps.

They use this to revisit any learning if needed.

The curriculum is inclusive. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

The school adapts teaching to develop the understanding of pupils with SEND alongside their peers.

The curriculum is still being refined by leaders. In some wider curriculum subjects, such as history, the school has included a large amount of information it wants pupils to learn.

While the school has begun to address this, some pupils find it difficult to remember some of the most important knowledge amongst the wide range of information that they access.

The school prioritises reading. Adults deliver sessions which support pupils to be able to quickly read independently.

Pupils take home books that are well matched to their ability. This allows pupils to practise and develop their confidence and comprehension. If pupils fall behind in their reading, they are quickly identified through regular assessments.

These pupils are able to access additional sessions, which allow them to practise and revisit anything they found tricky. These sessions are effective and pupils quickly get back on track.

Adults in early years prioritise the development of children's communication and language skills.

This is supported effectively through adults' frequent use of prompts and key questions. Their skilful interactions successfully extend children's understanding. Adults provide plenty of opportunities for children to practise and rehearse their learning.

However, some activities, such as when children learn independently, are not planned as precisely as they could be.

Pupils get additional opportunities to practise and learn different sports and musical instruments. The school choir has performed at a local nursing home.

Pupils are happy with the range of clubs on offer. These provide a valuable opportunity for them to further develop their talents and interests.

There are many opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles in the school.

These include school council, eco-council and well-being warriors. In addition, pupils contribute to the local community by raising funds and working to improve the local area, such as through traffic and parking improvements. These opportunities develop pupils' character and understanding of citizenship.

They value these roles and understand how their actions can have a positive effect on others and their community.

Pupils are taught to stay safe. They learn about how to protect themselves.

This includes internet safety, road safety and bikeability. This is effective and pupils know how to keep themselves safe online and offline.

Governors are aware of their responsibilities and are fulfilling them effectively.

They hold regular meetings, visit the school, and meet with pupils and staff. They use this information to ensure that they can challenge and support leaders so that the school continues to identify how it can be improved even further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasions, independent learning opportunities in early years are not tightly focused on what children need to learn next. As a result, some children are not consistently learning as much as they could be. The school should ensure that independent learning activities are consistently well considered to further develop children's understanding.

• The school has not clearly mapped out the important knowledge that it wants pupils to learn in some wider curriculum subjects. As a result, some pupils do not build their learning as effectively as they could. The school needs to prioritise the important information it wants pupils to learn so that pupils can build and develop their understanding over time in all subjects.