Stoke Goldington Church of England School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's vision, 'We strive to be the best we can be.

Whatever we do, we work at it with all our heart', shines through every aspect of school life. The school is relentless in its mission to provide the very best of everything. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), flourish academically and socially.

Pupils' impressive success and achievements are rooted in the high-quality curriculum on offer.

Pupils demonstrate a genuine love of learning. This is because staff carefully nurture pupils' enthusiasm.

They provide high levels of support for pupils to learn collaboratively. Staff also teach pupils to wor...k independently, helping them become confident learners. Across the school, pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

They are respectful, kind and polite. Everyone works and plays happily together.

The school builds optimism, confidence and love in its community.

It teaches pupils to appreciate and celebrate each other. Pupils understand the small things that people can do to make a positive difference. The school provides a carefully planned and rich range of experiences for pupils.

This ensures that pupils appreciate their local community and are excited to explore the wider world.

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

The school's broad and ambitious curriculum sets out the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. The curriculum sequences learning so that pupils acquire new knowledge in a logical order, building on what they already know.

This begins in the early years. Throughout the school, staff teach the curriculum expertly. They explain ideas thoughtfully.

Staff pay meticulous attention to every detail of pupils' learning, checking what they know and remember carefully. In every activity, no stone is left unturned to ignite pupils' passion for learning.

Reading is prioritised.

Staff have the knowledge and skills to deliver the phonics programme rigorously. This ensures that pupils acquire reading skills quickly. The books that pupils read are matched precisely to the sounds that they have learned.

Staff check regularly that pupils are on track with their reading. Should any pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to become fluent and confident readers. Staff use ambitious texts to help build pupils' extensive vocabulary.

As a result, pupils talk about their reading with enthusiasm and confidence.

Pupils with SEND achieve exceptionally well. The school identifies pupils' needs promptly and staff make skilful adaptations to their teaching of the curriculum.

This enables pupils with SEND to build their knowledge and skills rapidly. In some cases, pupils far exceed the expectations that have been set for them. The school actively encourages and supports disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, to participate in every aspect of school life, such as joining clubs and taking on leadership roles.

Parents rightly appreciate how well the school prepares pupils for the next stage of their education.

Pupils have highly positive attitudes to their learning. They thoroughly enjoy becoming deeply absorbed in their work.

This starts in the Reception class, where children concentrate hard on their tasks. Pupils speak about their work enthusiastically and help each other willingly. Pupils understand the importance of attending school regularly and punctually.

The school's sensitive and effective work with parents and carers is promoting and securing even better attendance than the high standards achieved in the past.

The school's values are at the heart of pupils' education. They are used as a framework for pupils' wider personal development.

The school provides pupils with a strong moral compass. It develops pupils' characters so that they understand the difference between right and wrong and become kind and responsible citizens. Pupils are knowledgeable about online safety and physical health.

Pupils' confidence and resilience are strengthened by a well-planned and enriching range of extra-curricular opportunities, such as visiting a local gymnastics centre to practise the skills learned in school. Pupils explore the curriculum more broadly through visits to places of interest, such as local and national art galleries. Pupils are taught about diversity.

They understand the fundamental British values and their importance in modern Britain. They learn about different religions, building respect and acceptance of others' beliefs and views.

Leaders, including the school governors, are tenacious in their ambition to continuously improve the school.

They ensure that the school contributes to and benefits from training across the federation schools. Workload and well-being are managed successfully to ensure that staff feel happy and proud to be part of the school community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.