Swinderby All Saints Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their small and friendly school. They say the school is, 'like a family' and is, 'the best school in the world'.

A large majority of parents and carers agree. One parent commented: 'Our children have thrived in the supportive and nurturing environment provided by the school'.

The school is highly inclusive and opens its doors wide to all pupils.

It has a clear vision for the character it wants pupils to develop. This is based on the school's values of truthfulness, compassion, forgiveness and respect. The school ensures that pupils have a wide range of experiences that prepare them well for life beyond school.

Pupils' personal dev...elopment goes hand in hand with the school's ambition that pupils will achieve well. Pupils become confident and well-rounded individuals. At the end of term, they showcase their musical talents in a concert for parents.

They play the electric guitar, keyboard, piano and sing with gusto in front of their friends and family.

Pupils attend well. They work hard.

They know that their teachers expect them to give their best. Pupils treat each other, and adults, with courtesy and respect. The school is a happy place in which to work and play.

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

Leaders have worked with determination to address the concerns raised at the last inspection. They have taken effective action. Phonics is now taught well.

Staff have received training and skilfully follow a sequenced programme. In the Reception Year no time is wasted, and children learn to read and write the sounds they hear in words from the very start. Pupils who need more help to remember new sounds receive extra teaching to keep up.

While most pupils enjoy reading and say that they read for pleasure, this is not the case for a very small number of pupils. The phonics programme is not effectively adapted to meet their specific needs and reading is still very hard work for these pupils.

The curriculum is well-designed to ensure that pupils in mixed-age classes learn new knowledge in small steps and in a logical order.

The school has worked closely with subject specialists to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to teach English and mathematics well. Children in the early years gain strong foundations in these subjects. Across the school staff subject knowledge is good.

In mathematics they routinely check that pupils remember prior learning before moving on to new learning. Pupils are given time to practise new learning so that they become fluent mathematicians. On a few occasions, pupils spend too long rehearsing this learning and are not moved on to new learning quickly enough.

The wider curriculum is ambitious. Subjects are planned to ensure that pupils acquire key knowledge that is line with the expectations of the national curriculum. In some subjects the curriculum is extended to stretch pupils' knowledge beyond what is expected.

For example, Year 5 and 6 pupils learn about slavery and consider the moral objections that result from these periods in history. Pupils engage well in their learning and acquire the intended learning. On a few occasions, the learning activities given to pupils do not help them to develop a deeper understanding of the subject.

The school has well-organised and effective systems and processes in place to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff receive additional training to ensure they have the skills they need to successfully adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. The schools works in collaboration with parents and outside agencies to ensure that pupils get the support they need.

As a result, pupils with SEND do achieve well and are fully involved in all aspects of school life.

The school's personal development offer ensures that pupils learn about equality and diversity. Pupils include everyone and celebrate difference.

Pupils learn about protected characteristics and fundamental British values in an age-appropriate way.Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities and experiences. For example, children in the early years go for a bug hunt in a local country park.

Older pupils visit the Royal Opera House in London to watch the Royal Ballet.

Governors have played an important role as the school has worked to improve. They have closely held leaders to account and have offered strategic support to steer the school towards an improved education for all.

Staff support each other well and there is a strong team ethic. They appreciate leaders' consideration for their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On a few occasions pupils spend too long rehearsing knowledge that they have already acquired. This slows their learning. The school should ensure that no learning time is wasted and that pupils move on to new learning as soon as they are ready.

• Sometimes the school's approach to teaching phonics is not flexible enough. It doesn't consistently meet the needs of all pupils and they do not learn to read as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that staff have the skills and confidence they need to effectively adapt the programme so that all pupils learn to read as quickly as they can.

• Learning activities are not consistently well-designed in some of the foundation subjects. They do not always help pupils to acquire the intended learning and deepen their understanding of each subject. The school should ensure that the work given to pupils enables them to gain a rich and secure knowledge across all subjects.

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