Wyton on the Hill Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate how well adults get to know their specific needs and interests as soon as they join the school. Pupils quickly settle into school, including those from military families.

Pupils understand that their teachers want them all to succeed. All pupils are well cared for. This makes pupils feel safe and ready to learn.

Pupils enjoy the friendships they make. They are kind and welcoming to new pupils. Pupils mix well together.

They know the school rules. Pupils respond well to any gentle reminders from adults about how they should behave. Bullying is rare.

Pupils know adults will help sort out any friendship issues straight away.

P...upils benefit from the facilities that this newly built school offers. This includes the well-stocked library, the play pod outside and separate art and music rooms.

Many pupils enjoy attending 'early bird' learning activities before school. Pupils like the after-school clubs, such as sports and coding. Pupils also enjoy the many community activities their school hosts, including fundraising events organised by parents and staff.

Pupils are proud to be part of this 'rights respecting school'. Pupils are keen to be ambassadors and actively help the local community and environment.

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

Leaders have recently improved the curriculum.

The revised curriculum sets out ambitious goals for pupils to achieve. In some subjects, teachers are in the early stages of putting this curriculum in place. Leaders have provided training to strengthen teachers' subject knowledge.

In most subjects, teachers routinely check pupils know and understand previous learning. This helps pupils to recall important knowledge before they start new learning. Teachers make sure that any gaps in pupils' knowledge are addressed successfully.

However, in a few subjects where the curriculum is still to be strengthened, teachers are not clear on the important prior knowledge pupils need. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge remain.

Leaders have prioritised reading.

Pupils are systematically taught the sounds they need to be fluent and independent readers. Pupils read books linked to the sounds they know so that they gain confidence. Older pupils read texts to broaden their vocabulary.

Teachers check regularly if pupils need extra help with reading and put additional support in place. As a result, most pupils achieve well. However, for some of the weakest readers, this extra support is not as effective as it could be.

These pupils are not taught the specific phonic knowledge that they need to catch up quickly. Leaders' and teachers' expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough.

Teachers, including in early years, adapt their teaching to meet the specific requirements of those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This means these pupils can access the same curriculum as their peers. Overall, pupils with SEND achieve well from their starting points.

In the early years, children develop a sound grasp of early reading and mathematics.

This prepares them well for Year 1. Children learn and use ambitious vocabulary in their role play. Children are taught how to share resources and listen to each other.

Children can sustain their concentration and are independent. While children generally achieve well in early years, staff are less clear about the precise subject knowledge children need to be taught so that they are fully ready for the curriculum in Year 1.

Teachers apply the school's behaviour policy consistently and fairly.

This helps pupils to concentrate and focus on their learning. Pupils respect the adults that teach them. Adults are effective in supporting the few pupils who need additional prompts to engage in lessons or play sensibly.

Leaders ensure that pupils attend school regularly.

Leaders have designed a broad personal development curriculum. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay healthy.

They enjoy positive relationships with each other. Pupils are respectful of difference, including different religions. Pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain.

They are taught about democracy through elections for the school council. Pupils learn about parliament and how this works. During assemblies, pupils are taught how to be active citizens.

Older pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of equality. They are prepared well for secondary school.

Leaders are mindful of staff's well-being and workload.

Staff value this and feel supported to carry out their roles and responsibilities.

Governors hold leaders to account and fulfil their statutory duties.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding training for staff and governors is up to date. Leaders have appropriate systems in place to manage concerns about pupils or adults. Leaders are swift to follow up on any concerns they have.

Leaders keep a close eye on pupils, particularly those pupils in most need.

Pupils are taught how to manage risks, including drug use, vaping and staying safe online. Pupils trust adults in the school to help them with any worries.

Leaders direct families to external agencies for specialist support when needed. Governors also monitor safeguarding processes, including all necessary checks on adults who work in school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the revised curriculum is at the early stages of implementation.

This means that pupils do not yet have all the prior learning they need to learn successfully. Some pupils have gaps in their subject knowledge. Leaders need to ensure that teachers clearly understand and prioritise teaching the most important subject knowledge.

Teachers need to check pupils have learned this knowledge securely before moving on to new learning. ? Leaders do not always make sure that pupils who find reading challenging are given the right support to become accurate and fluent readers. Additionally, leaders' and teachers' expectations of what the weakest readers can achieve are not always high enough.

These pupils are not catching up with reading as quickly as they should. Leaders need to provide additional training to adults who support these pupils so that they know how to help pupils effectively. Leaders need to check that this support is sufficiently ambitious, so these pupils achieve the best possible outcomes quickly.

• In some foundation subjects, children in early years are not taught the necessary subject content to be ready for Year 1. This means pupils in early years are not fully prepared for some aspects of the Year 1 curriculum. Leaders need to ensure the knowledge children gain in early years exactly matches the subject knowledge needed to successfully build on in Year 1.