Stockbridge Village Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At this school, pupils, and children in the early years, flourish in an environment where they feel happy and safe. Pupils are confident to express their views to others.

They talk about world issues, such as human rights, with maturity.

Leaders expect pupils and children to conduct themselves impeccably. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

Children in the early years share and take turns. Pupils and children are considerate, polite and well-mannered.

Pupils display high levels of respect towards each other and towards adults.

Relationships between adults and pupils are exceptionally strong. Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils said that staff deal... with any incidents of bullying or unkind behaviour immediately.

This creates a harmonious learning environment.

Pupils enjoy the wide range of opportunities on offer to develop their interests and talents. These include art, music and football clubs.

Pupils said that they enjoy singing in the choir and representing the school at local community events.

Pupils benefit from opportunities to take on leadership roles and to work as a team. For example, older pupils enjoy the responsibility of leading the school's weekly council meetings.

These capture the views and opinions of other pupils.

Teachers are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils rise to this challenge and they achieve well.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious and well-ordered curriculum that inspires pupils and children in the early years to learn well. Subject leaders and teachers benefit from training to deliver the curriculum successfully. As a result, in most subjects, pupils, including those with SEND, are well prepared for their next steps in education.

In most subjects, leaders have taken care to identify the essential knowledge that pupils must learn and in what order. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not determined the most important knowledge that pupils should learn. In these remaining subjects, this prevents some pupils from developing a deep body of subject knowledge.

In most subjects, teachers use leaders' assessment systems appropriately to check how well pupils are learning. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers' checks on pupils' learning do not give them all the information that they need to address misconceptions. In these subjects, some teachers do not have a clear enough understanding of where there may be gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills.

That said, leaders are taking effective steps to address this weakness.

Leaders have made reading a priority across the school. They have provided teachers with the training and resources that they need to deliver the reading curriculum, including phonics, consistently well.

Consequently, teachers know which sounds to teach to children and pupils, and when to teach them. However, sometimes teachers do not make sure that the books that children and pupils read are well enough matched to the sounds that they know. As a result, this hinders some pupils' progress in learning to read fluently.

Leaders are quick to identify children and pupils who may have additional needs. Staff understand how to adapt the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND experience the same learning opportunities as their peers. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

Pupils' behaviour is excellent. Disruptions to lessons are very rare. Pupils benefit from well-established routines which support their learning and behaviour.

Children in the Nursery class are keen to lend a hand at tidy-up time.

Leaders ensure that pupils develop a secure understanding of British values. Pupils understand the importance of caring for others and supporting those who are less fortunate than themselves.

Pupils live out these values by helping others in their local community.

Pupils have the opportunity to take part in a suitable range of enrichment activities. They understand the importance of looking after their physical and mental health.

They are also taught about healthy relationships.

Governors bring a wide range of knowledge and experience to their roles. They skilfully provide challenge and support to school leaders to improve the quality of education for pupils.

Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel well supported by leaders. For example, staff said that leaders prioritise their well-being and that they are mindful of their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The safeguarding team ensures that staff are well trained and constantly alert to the possibility that a pupil may be at risk of harm. They provide regular safeguarding training for staff.

Leaders also ensure that all adults who work at the school know how to respond if they have any safeguarding concerns.

Leaders work closely with outside agencies to ensure that support is available to pupils and their families when they need it. Staff also ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, particularly when working or playing online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In one or two subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge that pupils must learn and by when. This hinders some pupils from learning all that they could. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking so that staff know exactly what to teach in all subjects.

• For some children and pupils, the books that they read are not well matched to the sounds that they are learning. This prevents some pupils from becoming proficient in reading as quickly as they could. Leaders must ensure that books that pupils read match the sounds that pupils are learning.

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