The Market Rasen Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

The Market Rasen Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

The Market Rasen Church of England Primary School is a harmonious and inclusive school. Pupils enjoy learning and they thrive in this setting. They feel safe and many pupils take advantage of the holiday club in school.

Families appreciate the opportunities the school gives to their children.The school's values include being caring and honest. A group of pupils said, 'These help us to become good people.'

Around school, the values shine. Pupils behave well in lessons and when they are outside at play. Pupils are respectful and fair.

They coopera...te with each other well.The school has high expectations of all pupils. In lessons, pupils work hard.

They follow instructions well. They respond to guidance from adults. This helps them learn well.

Staff check for gaps in any learning. Pupils know they can go to adults for help.Parents are supportive of the work the school does.

One typical comment reflected the views of many: 'This school goes above and beyond for the children.' Relationships between the school and families are a strength. The school is at the heart of the community.

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

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum. In most subjects leaders have identified the key knowledge they want pupils to learn. Subject leaders have ensured that the curriculum is sequenced from early years through to Year 6.

It is designed to ensure that pupils build their knowledge over time. In a very small number of subjects the school has not identified the key knowledge that it wants children to learn. In these subjects pupils do not learn as well as they do in other subjects.

Staff check that pupils have learned the intended curriculum. When they find gaps in pupils' knowledge, they provide further teaching to address this. Staff ensure that pupils revisit what they have learned previously.

This helps pupils to remember what they have learned over time.Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the full curriculum. They learn alongside their friends in lessons.

Staff adapt the curriculum to support pupils who need extra help. Pupils are able to enjoy their learning together.There is a clear focus on reading.

Children start learning to read as soon as they start school. Children in the early years practise their sounds regularly to help them improve their reading. This helps them become more fluent readers.

Pupils who need extra help have further phonics teaching. This helps them to keep up. Pupils have lots of opportunities to read across the curriculum.

They read many different types of texts. Staff discuss their favourite books with pupils. Pupils enjoy staff reading to them.

Pupils talk about their favourite authors.In early years, children get off to a good start in learning the curriculum. For example, in mathematics children were learning about time and counting.

In other lessons, they enjoyed star jumping and learning about the effects of exercise, discussing stories and talking about why a bungalow was a different kind of home.Staff set high expectations in lessons and around school. Pupils strive to meet these.

In lessons, behaviour is good and often excellent. This good behaviour is celebrated through many awards. These include 'golden coins' or wearing the 'purple jumper' to celebrate success.

The 'golden chair' is used to present awards. Pupils are highly motivated by these rewards.The school promotes pupils' personal development well.

It provides opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles. For example, pupils can become mini-police or junior road-safety officers. These opportunities develop pupils' character and help pupils to take on responsibilities.

Pupils learn about relationships. They also learn about other cultures and faiths. There are visits to a local aquarium and places of interest.

Residential trips take place each year, some of these are to London. Pupils enjoy these trips. They also have swimming lessons at the on-site swimming pool.

The school ensures that all children have access to these experiences.Governance is effective in this school. Governors meet with subject leaders to monitor the effectiveness of the school's curriculum.

They help identify strengths and weaknesses. They monitor the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements. They check on the well-being and workload of all staff.

Staff benefit from sharing expertise across the federation.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small number of subjects, the school has not yet identified the key knowledge that it wants pupils to learn.

In these subjects pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they could. The school needs to ensure that the key knowledge that pupils should learn is identified and that the delivery of the curriculum ensures that pupils learn and remember it.

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 November 2013.