Thurgoland Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where everyone wants to 'be their best self'. Staff encourage pupils to 'give it a go' and 'be resilient'. This helps them to try new things and means that pupils are happy and confident.

They feel safe because they know their teachers care about them.

Pupils are enthusiastic in lessons. They want to do well.

The relationships between adults and children are incredibly respectful. As one pupil told inspectors, 'This is a kind school.' Inspectors agree.

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils follow well-established routines, for example when moving into groups for phonics lessons. Bullying is not tolerated.

Pupils know teache...rs will help them if they report bullying concerns.

Leaders want all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to aim high. Pupils strive to meet these expectations.

Leaders ensure that all pupils have a rich range of experiences. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 were excited about a trip to the seaside when inspectors visited. All pupils take part in a competitive sporting event.

Clubs, ranging from gardening to cartoon drawing, provide a range of opportunities for pupils to develop their interests.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. Careful thought has been given to mapping out the important knowledge that pupils need as they move through the school.

In design and technology, for example, there are clear steps to help pupils develop their knowledge of different types of sewing stitches. In a small number of subjects, the knowledge pupils need is not yet mapped out in as much detail.

Pupils with SEND successfully access the curriculum because teachers make good use of the information they receive.

For example, inspectors saw effective adaptations to the groupings for reading and in the use of tools in a design and technology lesson.

Pupils can recall with clarity what they have learned, for example about different faiths and religions such as Hinduism and Sikhism. Pupils recall what they have learned about the Mayan culture and are confident when talking about other historical events.

This is because teachers make careful checks on what pupils have learned through questioning and through recall tasks at the beginning of lessons.

There are clear links between early years and key stage 1 so that children in Reception are well prepared for moving into Year 1. Leaders work with local nurseries to ensure that there is continuity for pupils when they move from nursery to Reception.

The reading programme is a strength of the school. Leaders have a sophisticated and well-organised structure to ensure that all pupils receive phonics teaching to help them learn to read quickly. Pupils enjoy reading and use their phonics knowledge confidently.

They are well supported by adults who are expert in delivering the school phonics programme. This is because leaders ensure that staff receive appropriate training and support. Pupils receive focused intervention to help them catch up if they fall behind.

Pupils are polite and respectful. They speak confidently to adults. The school values are well embedded and understood by all.

This helps to ensure that everyone in the school shares a common purpose. Pupils are proud to be given positions of responsibility, such as peer mediator or librarian. These responsibilities help them to develop a sense of community which adds to the warm and welcoming nature of the school.

Pupils are enthused by the praise they receive from adults. As a result, they want to do well.

Leaders ensure that pupils gain rich experiences to prepare them for when they leave Thurgoland Church of England Primary School.

For example, leaders want pupils to socialise confidently. To help achieve this, leaders invite parents and carers of children in Reception to the school to look at work, talk to teachers and buy buns made by the children. Year 6 pupils were enjoying rehearsals for an end-of-year play when inspectors visited.

Conversations with inspectors showed that pupils embody the school values in their local community, for example by helping to clear snow after bad weather. They care about the people and places where they live.

Leaders of the school share a common purpose.

This is because school leaders, governors and the local authority know the school well. They receive external reports and information to ensure that their own views of the school are accurate. They use this information to develop clear plans which are well understood by all staff.

Staff are proud to work at the school. Governors listen to the views of staff. Leaders take the welfare and development of staff seriously.

This ensures that there is an expert and confident staff body supporting the education of children at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have a clear system for reporting concerns.

They ensure that staff receive regular updates about safeguarding so that it is always prominent. Staff at all levels know the signs that may mean a child is at risk. Local risks are well understood.

Leaders adapt the curriculum to ensure that pupils understand these risks. For example, the school has several reservoirs nearby so leaders ensure that pupils have a good awareness of water safety.

The systems for checking staff who work at the school are thorough.

Leaders responsible for these checks keep meticulous records.

Leaders work closely with other agencies to ensure pupils get the help they need. They keep clear records of actions taken so that all stakeholders can be easily informed about children at risk.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the knowledge that pupils need at each stage of their education is not clearly mapped out. This means that it is not clear to teachers what knowledge pupils should have to prepare them for the next stages of education. Leaders should ensure that all subjects have clearly mapped sequences of learning setting out the important knowledge that children need.

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