The Uffington Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small village school with a warm, family atmosphere. Older pupils are proud to care for the younger ones. They told us that they act as buddies to help look after Reception children if they feel nervous.

Pupils understand the meaning of bullying. They say it rarely happens but they are confident staff will handle it well. They know what to do if they have any worries.

Behaviour is good. Pupils of all ages are keen, enthusiastic learners. They achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

They are well-rounded individuals who are thoroughly prepared for secondary education.

The wide range of extra-curricular activiti...es on offer is impressive. Staff encourage pupils to be ambitious and try as many activities as possible.

These include sport, music, nature and the arts. Strong community links enrich pupils' cultural experiences. For example, local artists help pupils to make their annual contributions to the Stamford Georgian Festival.

Leaders and staff promote pupils' personal development exceptionally well. Pupils are encouraged to develop confidence, self-esteem and a strong work ethic. The 'Five ways to well-being' project provides daily opportunities to 'talk and connect'.

This approach effectively promotes pupils' positive mental health.

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

Leaders and staff provide a good quality of education for pupils. The teaching of English and mathematics is strong.

Science, history, religious education and personal, social and health education (PSHE) are also taught well. Pupils have a good recall of what they have learned in these subjects. The work staff provide is designed to capture pupils' interest and make them think hard.

It is clear from leaders' plans and actions that similar improvements are being introduced across all other subjects.

Reading is a priority at this school. Children in the early years get off to a strong start through the daily phonics sessions.

Support is readily provided for those who need to catch up. By the end of Year 2, most pupils are confident readers. However, some of the reading books are in poor condition and are not well matched to pupils' phonics knowledge.

This slows progress for a small number of pupils. Older pupils understand the importance of reading. They know it will help them at secondary school and beyond.

Teachers have good subject knowledge in mathematics. They quickly notice when pupils do not understand an idea. They use these examples to help pupils understand and improve.

Pupils shared work they were proud of with us. They told us they enjoy mathematics and appreciate how a topic is explored over several lessons. They say that this helps them to remember more.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in the life of the school. Staff involve parents and carers and other agencies in producing support plans that are well matched to pupils' needs.

Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour.

Relationships are strong, and pupils cooperate well to support each other. This means that they make the most of the time in lessons. At playtimes, pupils of all ages play happily and energetically together.

There is an exceptionally strong focus on promoting pupils' personal development and positive mental health. This focus is shared by leaders, staff and governors. The school's Christian values are not superficial.

They are embedded in the day-to-day life of the school and enhanced through the effective PSHE curriculum. Pupils benefit from numerous opportunities to take part in community and cultural activities. They develop an understanding of life in modern Britain by taking part in workshops, such as mock elections led by visiting Members of Parliament.

Pupils also took part in a thought-provoking workshop about modern slavery. This enabled them to understand the concept of liberty. Pupils learn about a wide range of faiths.

They have visited places of worship and learn about many customs and cultures.

Governors are effective in their roles. They fulfil their statutory duties well and consider staff workload and parents' views.

The experienced early years leader and her staff ensure that children have a positive start to school. Early reading and mathematics are a priority. Children in the early years are safe and well cared for.

They behave well, responding readily to routines and instructions. Children make the most of the purposeful and interesting range of activities on offer. For example, as part of the current topic about India, they played cooperatively in the 'Indian restaurant' role-play area.

Some pretended to take orders, while others read from the menu. This developed their language skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a positive culture of care and vigilance for pupils' safety and well-being. Leaders and staff know the pupils, and the needs of the community, very well. They are aware of the local safeguarding needs and the pressures families face.

This led leaders to introduce the mental health project currently running in school. Staff are confident about the procedures for raising concerns about pupils. They waste no time in passing on any issues.

Leaders respond quickly to concerns that are raised. Training for all staff and governors is up to date. Employment checks are in line with statutory requirements.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transition arrangement has been applied in this case.

Leaders are in the process of reviewing the curriculum. This is clearly set out in the school development plan. Leaders should ensure that they complete this planned work so that the curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced across all areas.

Some of the books provided, especially for the younger pupils, are not easily decodable and are in a poor condition. This means that some pupils do not become confident readers as quickly as they should. Leaders should ensure that all reading books are in good condition and connect closely to pupils' phonics knowledge, especially for those in the early stages of learning to read or who are experiencing reading difficulties.

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