Thornford CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Thornford is exceptionally good at meeting the needs of all pupils who attend.

Consequently, pupils achieve exceptionally well. By the end of Year 6 attainment is higher than in most schools. The excellent education is the result of the outstanding leadership of the headteacher.

He is given extremely strong support by staff and governors. All are committed to maintaining pupils' exceptional achievement. Leaders and governors ensure that teaching is consistently outstanding.

This is due to the excellent support and staff development provided. The school cares for pupils exceptionally well. Safeguarding procedures are high...ly effective.

Consequently pupils are rightly confident in their safety in school. The support for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exemplary. As a result, pupils' behaviour and relationships with teachers and other pupils are outstanding.

Their attitudes to learning are excellent. There are excellent systems in place for checking the school's work. Outstanding development planning means that any weaker aspect is very speedily identified and addressed.

The school is exceptionally well placed to maintain its high-quality education. The curriculum is especially well planned to help pupils acquire important skills and knowledge. It also takes full account of their interests, needs and talents.

Governors are fully involved in all aspects of the school's work and hold the headteacher and staff to account exceptionally well for pupils' performance. The school has an excellent partnership with parents and carers. This allows staff and parents and carers to work especially well together to support pupils.

Information about this school

Thornford is a much smaller than average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. There has been a change of headteacher and the appointment of a new deputy headteacher since the last inspection.

The proportions of pupils with special educational needs supported by school action and school action plus or a statement of special educational needs are above the national average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below average and very few speak English as an additional language. At the time of the inspection no pupils were known to be in receipt of the pupil premium funding, which provides funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.

The school meets the government's floor standards in English and mathematics, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress. The headteacher and other members of staff work closely with other local schools in supporting each other in a range of monitoring and development work. The school provides a breakfast club for pupils, which was also inspected.