White House Farm

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and live out the school values to 'be respectful, be resilient and to be reflective'. They enjoy school and are happy.Pupils behave well.

They are polite, friendly and kind towards others. Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils are confident of adult help with any problems that they may face.

As a result, pupils feel safe and are ready to learn.Pupils develop an understanding of what it means to belong in their community. They know the difference they can make by helping people in a variety of ways.

For example, pupils work with local groups to grow and provide fresh produce to families in the local area.The school believes that it is every pupil'...s right to have their voice heard. Leaders are making changes to ensure that all pupils have this opportunity.

All pupils can share their feelings and opinions and know that the school will listen. New activities, such as an assault course, are now offered due to pupil requests. This means that pupils feel valued and develop the confidence to speak up for what they believe in.

School leaders have an ambition to take this further by giving pupils a voice around global issues, such as sustainability.

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

Children make a flying start in early years. There is a highly effective curriculum based on a wealth of information about how children learn.

Staff learn about the children before they start school. Once children start school, checks on learning take place regularly. Staff then skilfully adapt learning by considering children's progress and their interests.

This enables children to become fully immersed in their learning. The next stage in learning is also considered. For example, children create maps in their current dinosaurs topic to provide them with early place knowledge.

This prepares them for the more structured map work they complete in Year 1. As a result, all children achieve exceptionally well in early years. They are fully prepared for future learning.

Reading is a priority across the school. Pupils start learning to read in a structured way as soon as they start. Pupils practise reading daily and follow the planned curriculum.

All pupils read books that are matched to their stage in learning. The school checks on how well pupils are achieving regularly. If any pupils fall behind, extra support helps them to keep up.

This means that pupils learn to read fluently.

The curriculum is ambitious. The school sets high expectations when identifying the knowledge that it wants pupils to learn.

In the core subjects, lessons proceed in a structured way. Pupils learn the planned curriculum effectively. Learning is routinely checked, and adaptations ensure that pupils progress successfully through the curriculum.

This means that pupils perform consistently well in the core subjects of learning.An equally ambitious curriculum is in place across the foundation subjects. The knowledge and vocabulary pupils that learn are clear.

Learning builds over time. While there is a structure that leaders want lessons to follow, this is not yet fully consistent across all subjects. This means that some knowledge is learned by pupils successfully, but some is not.

Leaders recognise the need for greater consistency and have plans in place to focus on this.

Pupils' learning is not always checked in all foundation subjects. There is an inconsistent approach to checks on pupils' achievement across different classes.

This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not always identified by staff. Consequently, some pupils do not learn the planned curriculum as well as they could.

Systems to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are effective.

Precise plans identify the adaptions that pupils with SEND need in order to be successful. These are set by teachers and carefully checked by leaders. As a result, pupils with SEND are well supported to access the full curriculum and achieve well alongside their peers.

Pupils behave well. Staff manage behaviour clearly and consistently, which means that learning proceeds without disruption.

As this is a new school, leaders have prioritised developing a close partnership with the local area.

They have welcomed the community into school in various ways, for example by offering cookery classes to parents and carers. These initiatives contribute well towards pupils' personal development. This helps to support pupils in being ready to learn.

The trust supports and challenges the school effectively. It understands the many strengths of the school but also recognises what the school needs to do next. School staff appreciate the support and challenge offered by school and trust leaders.

Staff feel valued and know that leaders consider their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is an inconsistent approach to the way in which learning is assessed in foundation subjects.

This means that pupils' learning is not always checked consistently. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. The school, including the trust, should ensure that assessment systems are implemented that clearly identify the progress pupils are making through the planned curriculum in all subjects.