Yaxham Church of England Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a welcoming place to be because of the positive relationships that pupils develop with staff and each other. Pupils are safe, and this helps them to be happy at school. Pupils respect each other for who they are and are considerate of others' needs.

All pupils have a positive attitude towards their learning. They access a broad and ambitious curriculum and remember what they learn. They want to do well, not just for themselves, but also for their teachers.

This is because pupils know that teachers expect them to do well.

Pupils' behaviour is calm in lessons and at social times. They understand the high expectations that leaders have of their beh...aviour.

Bullying very rarely happens in the school. Pupils know that, when it does, staff will deal with it quickly.

Pupils engage in a diverse range of clubs and activities.

Pupils talk with excitement about the residential trips that they go on as part of the wider curriculum. This helps them to develop skills such as resilience, teamwork and independence.

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

Leaders have planned a curriculum that outlines the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember.

Leaders have carefully sequenced the curriculum from Reception to Year 6. Leaders have trained staff to teach this curriculum well.

Since the previous inspection, leaders have successfully addressed the improvements needed in early reading.

Pupils read often during the day. Staff ensure that pupils make connections between the books that they are reading and what they are learning across the curriculum. Pupils develop a love of reading in the school.

They enjoy and engage deeply with their reading.

Staff are trained effectively in teaching phonics. They follow the well-planned phonics curriculum consistently.

Teaching of phonics begins at the start of Reception. Children learn quickly and read well. Teachers regularly check how well pupils are learning to read and identify pupils who are finding it more difficult.

Staff put effective support in place to help these pupils to improve. When pupils get stuck, they use strategies to sound and blend to help them read words with accuracy.

Leaders and teachers check on what pupils know and remember.

However, teachers do this inconsistently. In subjects where this works well, teachers use the information they gather to inform their teaching. Leaders use the information to adapt the curriculum to help make improvements to support pupils' learning.

However, in a few subjects, where teachers are less secure in their subject knowledge, teachers do not spot when pupils make errors or have misconceptions. As a result, pupils' knowledge in some areas is not as developed as it might be.Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

Leaders provide helpful plans for pupils with SEND that outline how staff can adapt their delivery of the curriculum effectively. Staff are knowledgeable about pupils' needs and they ensure that pupils experience success when learning alongside their peers.

Leaders have carefully considered the curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE).

The curriculum for PSHE is coherent and helps pupils to develop their character and an age-appropriate awareness of diversity and relationships. Pupils' learning supports the positive behaviour of pupils in lessons and around the school. Children in Reception have learned the routines expected of them and integrate successfully into their mixed-age class.

Leaders have improved communication with parents and carers through the use of an online system. Parents say that they know what their children will be learning and how well they are doing. Many parents would recommend the school.

Staff appreciate the support that leaders provide. They say that leaders and governors carefully consider their workload. Governors provide effective challenge and support to leaders.

They closely monitor the quality of provision for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The curriculum helps pupils to develop a secure and age-appropriate understanding of how to stay safe.

This includes when they are online.

Leaders ensure that staff and governors receive regular safeguarding training. Staff understand clearly their safeguarding responsibilities.

They know the signs to look out for should a pupil be at risk. They make timely reports of any concerns they have. Leaders' detailed record-keeping and effective liaison with external agencies help to keep pupils safe.

Governors review safeguarding during their visits to the school. They make sure that leaders act on the advice of external consultants, who audit safeguarding practice.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few areas of the curriculum, teachers do not have the subject knowledge to check accurately what pupils know and understand as precisely as they need to.

This results in pupils' knowledge not being as secure as it could be. Leaders need to ensure that teachers are well trained to have the subject knowledge and feel confident to be able to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge accurately. This will support them to be able to adapt their curriculum plans and teaching effectively to support pupils' learning.