Tardebigge CofE First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and friendly place in which to work and learn.

Lessons are purposeful and interesting.

Staff treat pupils fairly, praise their good behaviour and keep them safe. In turn, pupils enjoy school, attend regularly, work hard and learn much. Consequently, academic standards are high, and pupils know a lot by the time they leave.

Across the curriculum, pupils typically do well. This is because leaders have thought carefully about what pupils need to know. In addition, staff provide short, sharp, regular activities that help pupils to remember what they have been taught.

Pupils' good behaviour means that lessons run smoothly. It also means tha...t pupils get on well with one another. Bullying is uncommon and any problems are sorted out quickly.

Staff are attentive to pupils' worries or concerns, and notice if something is wrong.

Pupils are supported to be confident and resilient, and they enjoy doing jobs that help out with school life. Extra activities like trips and clubs have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but are now beginning to resume.

Pupils who need extra help with learning to read would benefit from being given better resources and support. Leaders know this and are making improvements.

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

Over time, standards in reading, writing and mathematics have been high.

This is the result of effective leadership and teaching, and pupils' positive attitudes to learning. The partnership between home and school is strong, which is clearly a factor in the school's success. During the inspection, many parents wrote positive comments about this aspect.

They also praised the school's work to educate, support and value their children. Staff, too, appreciate leaders' support.

Most mornings are devoted to English and mathematics.

In mathematics, the school follows a structured approach which ensures that all the right knowledge is taught. For those pupils who learn quickly, staff provide extra challenges that deepen the pupils' understanding. At times, staff accept poorly set out arithmetic without challenging pupils to take more care.

However, in other subjects, staff are attentive to pupils' handwriting and presentation. Pupils produce plenty of interesting, good-quality writing, with accurate spelling and punctuation. Similarly, most pupils are fluent and keen readers by the time they reach the end of Year 4.

Indeed, from early years to Year 4, staff do much to promote a love of reading and an interest in books. Nevertheless, those pupils who do not keep up with their peers could be given better resources and support when learning to read.In subjects such as science, geography, history and art, leaders have mapped out what pupils should learn in different year groups.

They have identified certain topics to revisit frequently through what the school calls 'daily dashboard time'. During these short, regular sessions, teachers remind pupils about earlier learning. In geography, for instance, staff ask pupils to recall what they know about counties, countries, continents, direction and maps.

Similarly, in history, staff check that pupils' knowledge about the past helps them to understand important ideas such as trade or invasion. These activities allow staff to check what pupils know, and help to fix learning in pupils' minds. It is clearly working, because many pupils know a lot of things about a lot of things.

Staff regularly watch one another teach and share good ideas. However, there is scope to strengthen subject leadership, so that practice across the school continues to improve.

Pupils' positive attitudes to school, and to others, mean that lessons normally run without disruption.

The school's values, such as compassion and respect, guide everyone's behaviour and support pupils' personal development. In addition, governors look out for pupils demonstrating the school's values when they visit. This helps to reinforce the school's super work to prepare pupils to become responsible and caring members of society.

On top of this, the school gives pupils opportunities to take on responsibilities. Older pupils help out at lunchtime or act as playleaders outside. School clubs and trips have been restricted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but are now restarting.

Consequently, the school is not yet up to full speed with its usual programme of extra-curricular and enrichment activities.

Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are included in all the school does. Staff are knowledgeable about their needs and how to meet them.

The school also seeks and acts upon advice from other professionals. Pupils, too, are very good at supporting one another. All of this ensures that Tardebigge First School is a highly inclusive and happy place.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to recognise danger and what to do in response. Staff are well informed about the risks that pupils might face.

They are alert to the signs that may indicate a pupil is distressed or having difficulties. The school's systems for responding to any such concerns are well organised and work as they should. When necessary, the school shares information with other professional organisations.

Safer recruitment policies are followed correctly so that all the proper checks are carried out on adults who work in school.

Safeguarding policies and records are up to date.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In early reading, those pupils who do not keep up with their peers could be given better resources and support.

Until recently, staff selected phonics books from different schemes to teach early reading. While many pupils coped well with this, it has not been ideal for children who are less able. This is because some books have not been matched carefully enough to the letter sounds they need to practise.

Leaders have recently changed the approach for the better, but it is still early days and not firmly established. ? Subject leadership of the foundation subjects is not well developed. While the school's leaders have ensured a knowledge-rich curriculum, oversight of day-to-day practice could be strengthened.

Subject leaders should now do more to check on what is working well in class and what could be improved. ? The restrictions introduced because of the COVID-19 pandemic have limited the school's programme of extra-curricular and enrichment activities. As the restrictions ease, leaders should look to re-establish these activities as soon as it is practically possible to do so.

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