Stonegate Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Stonegate Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe in the nurturing environment that leaders provide. Supportive relationships are a feature of this school. Pupils know they are valued.

Leaders strive for pupils to develop a 'love of learning for life'. The school's values of 'friendship, trust, respect and courage' are lived by all. The school is at the heart of the community.

Here, pupils also behave well consistently and the school is calm and orderly. Bullying is very rare. Pupils rightly trust adults to listen and resolve any worries.

Leaders promote an inclusive culture.... Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive the help they need to learn well. Leaders' ambitious expectations for all pupils to achieve well are met.

Leaders provide a range of clubs to develop pupils' interests and talents. Pupils enjoy learning outside through forest schools. A wealth of visitors, trips and projects within the local community and further afield enable pupils to develop their understanding of the wider world and how to be active citizens.

Pupils are proud to contribute to the wider life of the school. Parents and carers are highly positive about the school. They appreciate the experiences that the school provides beyond the academic.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND. The school's 'learning journey' approach enables pupils to make links between subjects. It also enables teachers to meet the needs of mixed-age classes well.

The knowledge and skills pupils need to know are identified. However, in a few subjects, pupils' knowledge and skills are not yet precise enough to ensure that pupils' learning builds. Teachers do not always design activities that enable pupils to learn important knowledge in the best order.

As a result, pupils do not always develop in-depth knowledge and skills in all subjects.

Teachers have good knowledge of the subjects they teach, and they help pupils to make links with learning that has taken place before. For example, in mathematics, older pupils are able to use their knowledge of calculation methods to solve problems.

Leaders have focused on developing high-quality teaching strategies. As a result, teachers know how to adapt learning and to support any pupils who may fall behind. They regularly check pupils' understanding and clarify any misconceptions.

This enables pupils to be successful. Teachers make effective use of resources and additional adults, who support pupils well. Leaders have developed detailed systems to check what pupils can do.

However, sometimes these checks do not match closely enough to the key knowledge that pupils need to learn.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND. They identify their needs accurately.

Pupils receive well-planned support to help them take part in the same curriculum as their peers. The addition of the pre-school has supported the successful transition of children into early years. Staff in early years model language well and guide children to build their learning through well-planned activities.

Leaders have recently strengthened the early reading curriculum and invested in new resources. Phonics teaching is structured effectively and all staff are well trained. Leaders ensure that pupils receive extra support if they fall behind.

There is a love of reading in the school. Pupils enjoy author visits, storytimes and visiting the library. During their time at the school, all pupils become successful readers.

They achieve well in reading.

Pupils behave extremely well. Pupils work hard in their lessons and are polite and respectful.

At playtimes, they play happily and 'peer mediators' provide support to others. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are motivated by rewards, such as house points, 'value stones' and certificates.

Leaders provide pupils with many wider experiences.

The school's 'golden threads' are central to this. Pupils particularly enjoy welcoming different visitors, for example a violinist and a beekeeper. Music and performances are a priority and many pupils are part of the choir.

Pupils gain an appreciation of other cultures and faiths and know how to keep themselves healthy. Pupils feel that the programme to support their emotional well-being helps them. They enjoy leadership roles such as representing the Student Council and Eco Club or being a Sports Leader.

Pupils are proud to contribute to the life of the school.

Governors support and challenge leaders well. They understand their roles and responsibilities.

Leaders are mindful of staff workload and staff feel particularly well supported. Leaders have been proactive in developing new staff so that they have the skills to be effective in their roles. Leaders are committed to ensuring that pupils achieve their best and are prepared well for the next stage of education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff know pupils well. Staff are confident in identifying pupils who may be at risk of harm.

Leaders provide suitable training that helps staff understand safeguarding risks and how to follow procedures. Leaders act quickly if they have concerns. They keep appropriate records and secure external support, where necessary, to ensure that pupils get the help they need.

Leaders carry out robust checks on the recruitment of staff and ensure effective induction.

Pupils learn how to keep safe in the curriculum. They can recognise potential risks offline and online.

Governors check regularly that leaders' actions keep pupils safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order in which they should learn it is not yet identified precisely enough. This means that pupils do not always develop detailed learning across the curriculum.

Leaders should continue to implement their development of the curriculum. This should also include ensuring that teachers match learning activities and assessment more closely to the intended learning.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2013.