Thornford CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's golden thread of 'treat others as you would like to be treated yourself' filters down from leaders to staff to pupils.

This has created a culture of kindness and compassion. The school is warm and supportive where everyone feels welcome. As a result, pupils are happy and safe, and they attend very well.

Pupils' behaviour is impeccable. Routines, including in the Reception Year, are quickly established and well embedded. Pupils show excellent attitudes to learning in the classroom.

At social times, pupils of all ages play together harmoniously. They share equipment, organise games and make sure that everyone is included.

The school has hi...gh expectations.

Pupils regularly meet these. For example, in Year 1, pupils achieve well in the published phonics outcomes. In Year 6, national test results are typically above average.

The school's work on pupils' personal development is exceptional. The way that the school teaches pupils about character helps them develop their resilience, confidence and curiosity. Pupils benefit greatly from an extensive range of sport, music, performance, outdoor education, trips and visits that support the planned curriculum and broaden pupils' cultural capital.

Parents overwhelmingly recommend the school.

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

The school has developed a curriculum that is broad and balanced. It has identified the important knowledge pupils need to learn over time.

This starts in the early years and progressively builds as pupils move up through the school. For example, in mathematics, children in the Reception Year learn to count and recognise shapes. Older pupils develop their knowledge of number and use resources, such as number shapes, to develop their mathematical understanding.

By the time pupils get to Year 6, they are able to solve more complex calculations involving fractions.

For most subjects, staff check what pupils know and learn. This enables them to provide suitable learning activities that deepen pupils' knowledge.

However, in a minority of subjects, the checks that staff make on pupils' understanding are not used to inform future learning. This means that some pupils can develop misconceptions or gaps in their knowledge.

The school prioritises reading and pupils' vocabulary development.

This begins in the Reception Year, where children learn the sounds that they need to decode words to read. This prepares them well to learn to read with accuracy and fluency during key stage 1. Staff ensure that pupils' early reading books match their stage of learning.

Older pupils practise reading regularly and enjoy class story times where their teachers read interesting and challenging books to them. As pupils move through the school, their love of reading grows because of the support that the school provides.The school quickly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

It works with other agencies, such as educational psychologists and speech and language therapists, who provide advice, so pupils with SEND receive the right support. Staff use this advice and adapt learning so that pupils with SEND achieve well.

Attendance is high.

The school analyses attendance carefully and intervenes with support or follow-up actions as required. Strong relationships with families begin in the early years. The school challenges and supports those pupils whose attendance falls below the school's high expectations.

The school places equal importance on pupils' academic success and their character development. Strong relationships sit at the heart of this. Pupils behave consistently well with high levels of self-control.

The school ethos is grounded in nurturing values and clear structures of support. Older pupils carry out leadership roles that support the life of the school. These include eco-ambassadors and senior pupils.

Pupils take pride in these positions as they are seen as the pinnacle of success within the school.

The wider development opportunities for pupils are exceptional. Community projects, educational trips and residential visits enable pupils to thrive.

Pupils learn about the world beyond their community. For example, they enjoy writing to their pen pals in France and then welcoming them to the school on exchange visits. The school ensures that pupils value diversity and different ways of life.

Pupils discuss issues related to discrimination and equality with respect. Pupils speak with maturity about inspirational people, such as Rosa Parks and Michelle Obama, when discussing issues such as discrimination and equality.

The local academy committee are knowledgeable about the school's work.

They consider the well-being and workload of leaders, teachers and support staff well. The trust is committed to ensuring that pupils can participate fully in school life.

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 subjects, the school's approach to assessment does not provide enough information about what pupils have learned and remembered. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should modify its approach so that checks on pupils' learning more consistently inform future teaching and, therefore, reduce gaps in pupils' knowledge.