Whimple Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Whimple Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind, polite and friendly towards each other.

They love coming to school. They say that there is some bullying, but that teachers resolve it quickly. Pupils enjoy learning a range of subjects.

Children in Reception, for instance, are enthusiastic readers.

From Reception to Year 6, pupils learn the routines of school very well. They listen respectfully to each other, share and take turns.

They behave very well, both in lessons and at breaktime and lunchtime. Older pupils take the responsibility of being play ambassadors seriously. They help younger pupil...s to form friendships and to enjoy playing at breaktime.

Pupils enjoy the many after-school clubs and activities, such as the school's music club, 'Rock Steady'. Pupils value visits, for example, to Killerton and Dartmoor to extend their knowledge about the world. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

They value the quality of education and the strong pastoral support of staff. Relationships between staff and pupils are particularly strong. Pupils feel well supported, protected and valued.

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

Leaders, governors and staff share a common vision of ensuring that pupils succeed academically, socially and emotionally. Leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum in many areas. This enables pupils to revise what they have learned so that they can understand more complex concepts more easily.

For example, the history curriculum is very well structured. Pupils develop progressively more complex knowledge which helps them to evaluate new topics. However, in some subjects, leaders acknowledge that there is further work to do to ensure that pupils learn well.

Where this is the case, pupils do not develop sufficiently strong knowledge in order to move on to more complex ideas.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They regularly check what pupils know and do not know and adapt their teaching accordingly.

As a result, pupils are well supported. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive bespoke support that helps them to learn the curriculum as well as other pupils.

Reading is a priority at the school.

Leaders recognise the critical importance of reading as a gateway to learning. They have introduced a relatively new reading programme in Reception and key stage 1 with precision and care. Children in Reception are motivated to read well.

Along with key stage 1 pupils, they learn to make explicit links between letters and sounds. Teaching checks how well pupils read and additional support is provided when required. Consequently, pupils read well.

Across the school, pupils enjoy reading. In English lessons, pupils develop a breadth of reading skills that help them to craft their writing with accuracy and flair. For example, Year 5 and Year 6 pupils' reading of 'Animalium' by Jenny Broom supported the development of their report writing.

Pupils' books in all year groups are very well presented. Pupils take pride in their learning. They are motivated to learn well.

Pupils' emotional well-being develops well through the curriculum. It is prioritised by leaders. Through the provision of games at breaktime and lunchtime, for example, pupils are supported to play with each other and make friendships.

They have many opportunities to develop empathy and character through the texts that they read. For example, through reading 'The Boy Who Cried Ninja' by Alex Latimer, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils develop an understanding of the importance of telling the truth.

Governors have a strong understanding of the school.

They have been instrumental in supporting the school to work with a federation to develop the curriculum further. Staff are unanimous in feeling proud to work at the school. They feel that their well-being is supported and that workload is managed well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that pupils who are at risk of harm receive immediate and appropriate support. They work well with external agencies and are persistent in ensuring that pupils' physical and emotional well-being is addressed.

The safeguarding of pupils is an absolute priority for leaders and staff.

Staff, including governors, receive up-to-date safeguarding training, alongside pertinent updates. Pupils have lots of opportunities to learn how to keep themselves safe.

For example, they learn about road safety and online safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subjects in the curriculum are not as well structured as others. Pupils do not learn new knowledge sequentially.

This means that pupils do not have sufficiently well embedded knowledge before moving on to more complex concepts. Leaders must ensure that all subjects are consistently well structured to enable pupils to learn well.

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 2017.