Taddington and Priestcliffe School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This small and caring school is at the very heart of the community it serves. Parents and carers have nothing but praise and appreciation for the school.

One parent commented: 'The staff at the school are dedicated to ensuring they do all they can to support my children.' Staff know the pupils very well. As a result, pupils feel safe and happy attending school.

The school is determined to give pupils the best start to their education. They aspire for pupils to achieve well and to 'broaden their horizons'. Pupils at Taddington have many opportunities to attend trips, take part in a range of clubs and learn about different careers.

Pupil leadership is strong an...d extends beyond the school, such as delivering yoga classes at the local nursery or litter picking around the village.

Pupils are keen to come to school and want to learn. They enjoy playing with their friends and get on very well with staff.

All pupils behave well. Pupils know how the school's values, respect and forgiveness, help them to get along. Staff encourage pupils to be reflective and share their personal successes on the 'Proud Cloud'.

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

The school is aspirational for all pupils. This is evident in the inclusive and interesting curriculum, which is enhanced with rich and varied experiences. These enrichment opportunities spark pupils' curiosity, expand their perspectives on the world around them and promote personal ambition.

The curriculum in English and mathematics is well developed and enables pupils to know and remember more. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in these subjects. In some foundation subjects, staff do not always know the most important knowledge they need to teach.

This can slow pupils' learning in some subjects. The school has started to further define the precise knowledge they want pupils to remember from the Reception Year to Year 6. However, this work is not complete.

The school has not used the information gathered as a result of monitoring activities sufficiently well. This information is not always used effectively to identify the areas for future development in each subject.

The school's phonics programme is typically effective.

Pupils learn to read as soon as they join the Reception Year. Staff follow consistent routines so that pupils know what to expect when they are learning to read. There are many opportunities for pupils to practise applying the sounds they need to know to read and write.

They re-read books to improve their fluency. Staff check often how well pupils are learning sounds. Additional support is put in place for those pupils who need more help with their reading.

Children in the Reception Year get off to a positive start. They quickly develop their language and communication skills by singing songs and playing games. Children happily interact with each other, showing lots of curiosity and independence in their work and play.

Children generally enjoy high-quality interactions with adults.

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Staff have consistently high expectations of how pupils should behave.

These expectations are understood by pupils. They are committed to living out the school's values in return for a prized raffle ticket. Pupils are taught how they can manage their emotions.

They do this well. Pupils who struggle to come to school regularly enough can attend 'Transition Club'.

Pupils with SEND are well supported.

The school identifies pupils' needs and closely monitors their progress. Most pupils with SEND achieve well from their starting points. Staff take part in regular training to know how to best support these pupils.

For example, pupils are taught how to manage their emotions so they can engage well in their learning.

Provision for pupils' personal development is exceptional. The school has a clear vision for pupils to 'positively contribute to their community and the wider society'.

One example of this is pupil ambassadors. These pupils are responsible for organising charity events, leading worship in the local church and promoting reading in the school. Pupils' interests are enhanced through child-led clubs such as neurodiversity club, Lego club or crochet club.

Diversity and equality are woven through the school's curriculum. Books and topics are carefully chosen to teach pupils about difference and acceptance. Visits to places of worship enrich this learning further.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support that they receive from leaders to manage their workload and well-being. They value the recent introduction of well-being supervision sessions with a psychologist. Leaders and those responsible for governance have an accurate view of the strengths and priorities of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the important knowledge that pupils should learn is not clearly identified, including in the early years. From time to time, staff do not know precisely what should be taught and how this new learning links to earlier learning.

As a result, there are some gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should continue their work to clearly identify the key knowledge in all subjects. ? The oversight of some subjects lacks rigour.

As a result, a few areas requiring further development are not always identified quickly enough and addressed. This is slowing the rate of learning for pupils in some subjects. The school should support subject leaders in monitoring the curriculum's implementation and its impact on pupils' achievement.