Stowting Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents, staff and pupils often describe Stowting Primary School as like a 'big family'.

Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is because staff look after them well. There is a friendly atmosphere where everyone works together to make sure the school is a pleasant place to be.

Pupils live up to the high expectations of staff. This is because pupils want to do well and work hard. Teachers set pupils very demanding work that requires pupils to think hard.

There are a very wide range of activities for pupils to get involved in. Many pupils attend after-school clubs to practise, amongst other things, cooking and cross-county running or to play football. Pupils are ...eager to have a say in the way the school is run.

For instance, pupils successfully campaigned to have sensors fitted on all lights in school to save electricity.

Pupils behave extremely well in lessons and around school. They have excellent attitudes to learning.

When pupils feel worried about things they know who to go to for help. Pupils feel safe in school. Parents, staff and pupils all agree that there is no bullying in school.

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

Since starting in September 2018, the headteacher has swiftly improved the school. Consequently, pupils' achievement has improved across all year groups and teachers now teach a broad range of subjects. Staff have thought about how to arrange topics within subjects so that they fit together well.

In subjects such as English, mathematics and science pupils produce high-quality work and achieve very well. In other subjects, such as French and history, leaders have not planned as precisely. As a result, in these subjects pupils do not build their learning over time as well as they could.

Pupils develop their reading well across all year groups. As soon as they start early years, children begin to learn phonics. This means that children are well prepared to start key stage 1 because they are beginning to write short sentences and read short words.

Pupils who are behind in their reading receive extra help. This helps them to catch up. Reading books are closely matched to pupils' reading ability.

Pupils in all year groups develop a love of reading.

Teachers plan interesting activities and carefully assess where pupils are in their learning so that they know who needs extra help. Consequently, pupils are eager to learn.

For example, in science Year 3 and 4 pupils learned about the properties of liquids by comparing different substances. They enjoyed explaining their findings using scientific vocabulary and an experimental method. Across subjects, teachers explain difficult ideas very well so that pupils understand them.

In the past, staff training has been neglected. However, the headteacher has ensured that staff training is improving so that staff have access to a wider range of training opportunities.

Pupils are looked after very well.

Staff ensure that pupils understand what healthy eating means. Pupils also understand British values, such as democracy. For example, Year 6 pupils told inspectors about the democratic process involved in voting for members of the school council.

Pupils in key stage 2 learn how to manage money and plan a home budget. Social aspects of their education are less well developed. Leaders have plans in place to improve these aspects of personal, social, health and economic education.

In early years, children get off to a good start. Phonics teaching has improved over the past year so that it is an integral part of every school day. Children take part in school life enthusiastically.

They learn how to behave when working with others and when sitting together to listen to the teacher. The outside area is in need of some refurbishment so that children are stimulated by the available outside activities.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well because staff understand their needs.

Teachers develop and change their teaching to make sure that all pupils understand what to do. Staff are highly skilled in supporting pupils with more complex SEND needs.

Parents fully support the changes the headteacher has made over the past year.

They appreciate the in-depth information they receive about their children's progress. All parents who responded to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View, agreed that the school is well led and managed. One parent commented that she 'couldn't have asked for better support' for her child.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have embedded a strong safeguarding culture. They ensure that they carry out appropriate checks on the suitability of staff to work in the school.

Governors monitor these checks using their safeguarding knowledge and training. Staff have up-to-date training so that they understand how to keep pupils safe.

Teachers ensure that pupils are fully informed, from a young age, about how to keep themselves safe online.

Consequently, pupils understand the guidance they have been given. For example, pupils told inspectors that they must not share personal details or passwords online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The curriculum is planned and sequenced well in almost all subjects.

However, in some subjects, such as French and history, the intent of the curriculum is not embedded as securely as it is in other subjects, such as mathematics. This means that pupils do not know and remember as much as they could. Leaders should ensure that knowledge is sequenced well across all subjects so that pupils remember more over time.

. Staff training has improved over the past year and some teachers and subject leaders have benefited from this. Leaders should ensure that all teachers and subject leaders receive high-quality training in order to improve their pedagogical content knowledge so that they understand how to maximise pupils' understanding and knowledge across all subjects.