Staveley CofE School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are immensely proud to be part of this small, inclusive school. They appreciate the positive relationships that they have with staff.

These relationships help pupils to feel safe and secure. Pupils follow the school's values and are respectful to staff and to each other. The school is a calm place where pupils are happy, behave well and cherish the enduring friendships that they make.

The school is ambitious for pupils' achievement. This extends beyond the curriculum and into all aspects of their development. Pupils pursue their interests and talents through a range of extra-curricular activities.

This includes learning to play musical instruments and ...taking part in knitting, gymnastics and gardening clubs. Pupils play a range of sports, such as cricket, hockey and wheelchair basketball. They enjoy learning in the school's woodland area during 'muddy Mondays' and 'welly Wednesdays'.

Pupils achieve well in their learning and in their wider development.

The school has developed strong links with the local community. Pupils take part in litter picking and enjoy socialising with the older generations from the village.

The school also broadens pupils' experiences beyond their local context. Pupils visit museums, cities and farms. They participate in annual residential trips from Year 3 to Year 6.

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

The school knows pupils well. It works closely with parents and carers to ensure that staff understand pupils' needs from the moment that they start attending the school. This includes pupils who join the school at different points of their education and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff provide bespoke support to pupils with SEND to ensure that their additional needs are identified and met consistently and effectively.

The curriculum is broad, rich and engaging. The school brings the curriculum to life through purposeful experiences linked to pupils' learning.

Staff's subject knowledge is strong and they present new information to pupils clearly. In most subjects, the school has identified what pupils should learn and how this should build over time. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum is still being refined.

In these subjects, the school has not identified the essential knowledge that pupils should learn with enough precision. This means that some pupils develop gaps in their understanding and their knowledge does not build securely.

The school uses a range of methods to check pupils' learning.

For example, staff ask questions and design activities or resources that require pupils to demonstrate their understanding. In most subjects, the school's checks on learning are rigorous and provide staff with detailed information about pupils' knowledge and their next steps. However, in a small number of subjects, these checks on learning are not precise enough.

This hinders how well staff identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge.

Reading is prioritised in all areas. Children in the early years delight in choosing books from the cosy reading area.

Older pupils speak of their joy in discovering new authors that have been recommended by other pupils. Staff are determined that all pupils will become fluent readers. They take effective action to help pupils who find reading difficult.

Staff provide pupils with tailored support that enables them to quickly gain confidence in reading. Pupils' strong achievement in reading is reflected in published results.

The school places a strong emphasis on supporting pupils' personal development.

Pupils learn about environmental issues and are proactive in their work to make a difference to their locality. For example, pupils attended a public meeting recently and raised their concerns about river pollution. Pupils understand the benefits of being physically active.

They take part in walks, swimming and a range of sports. Pupils speak with maturity as they describe the correlation between physical and mental health. The school supports pupils to become responsible, respectful and active citizens.

Pupils celebrate diversity and are clear that everyone should be treated equally.

The school promotes positive attitudes to learning. Pupils work hard in lessons and show pride in their achievements.

In the early years, staff inspire awe and wonder in children. For example, as children explore ice outside, staff ask questions about how the sun will help it to melt. Pupils' rates of attendance are high.

The school takes effective action to improve attendance where pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should.

Those responsible for governance are fully aware of the school's priorities. They provide appropriate support and challenge to ensure that the school moves from strength to strength.

The school ensures that staff's workload and well-being is considered. Staff feel supported in their roles and are proud to work at the school.

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 set out precisely the important knowledge that pupils should learn, and the order in which this should be taught. Consequently, pupils do not develop their knowledge securely and some pupils have gaps in their understanding in these subjects. The school should ensure that the key knowledge that pupils should learn and remember is identified clearly in all subjects and that pupils learn well in all subjects.

• In a small number of subjects, the school's assessment systems do not provide staff with sufficient information to be able to effectively identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge. This makes it difficult for staff to check and help pupils learn the intended curriculum securely. The school should ensure that assessment systems enable staff to evaluate the impact of the curriculum on pupils' learning and address any gaps effectively.