Yealand Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Yealand Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of their small school. They know each other extremely well and view themselves as one family.

Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. Pupils and children try their best to rise to the high expectations that leaders have of their behaviour. Children in the early years interact positively with pupils in key stage 1 right from the start.

This allows the youngest children to pick up positive behaviours quickly.

Pupils feel very safe in school. They explained that leaders deal with any bullying quickly and effectively so that it... does not happen again.

Pupils and staff have positive relationships. There is a tangible sense of mutual respect. Pupils genuinely care for one other.

Leaders have high expectations of what pupils and children can and should achieve. In class, older pupils encourage younger pupils to apply themselves to their learning. Across the school, pupils achieve well.

Leaders make sure that pupils experience a wealth of opportunities during their time in school. Trips and visits are carefully planned to deepen pupils' understanding in a wide range of curriculum areas. Pupils learn about diversity through the curriculum.

Leaders have recently forged links with an inner-city school to help pupils to learn more about life in modern Britain.

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

Leaders have devised and implemented an ambitious curriculum. They have successfully juggled the demands of designing a curriculum to support learning in mixed-age classes.

As a result, the curriculum is suitably ambitious for all pupils, including children in the early years. In the main, all groups of pupils learn well across the curriculum. The pupils who leave at the end of Year 6 are ready for the demands of key stage 3.

Governors skilfully hold leaders to account for the achievement of all pupils. They ensure that the very small number of pupils who need additional support get the help that they need to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. These pupils progress well through the curriculum.

Leaders have identified the knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn in each subject and by when. As a result, in most subjects, teachers deliver new learning that builds on what pupils already know and can do. However, in a small number of subjects, the delivery of the curriculum has been affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Teachers have been unable to cover some small but important elements of the essential knowledge that pupils must learn. This is hindering a few pupils from achieving all that they should.

Teachers make effective checks on pupils' learning, including in the early years.

They use this information well to identify and address pupils' and children's misconceptions. Teachers' skilfully use assessment systems to inform the next steps in the delivery of the curriculum.

Leaders have refined their approach to the teaching of phonics and early reading.

They have worked in collaboration with a local English hub to develop the expertise of staff. As a result, staff deliver the early reading and phonics programmes well. Pupils learn new sounds in a logical order.

Any pupil who falls behind with their reading receives tailored support to help them catch up with their classmates. Staff make sure that the books pupils take home to read match the sounds that they have been learning in class. Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 quickly gain the necessary skills to become fluent and accurate readers.

In lessons, pupils behave well. They move around school with care. Lessons are rarely interrupted by poor behaviour, including in the early years.

Pupils and children can get on with their work without distraction.

Leaders provide pupils and children in the early years with a range of opportunities to support their wider development. Pupils have many opportunities to reflect on what is right and what is wrong.

They understand the need to stay fit and healthy. Pupils learn about the importance of caring for the environment. Leaders make sure that pupils are aware of how to look after their own mental health and well-being.

Pupils, and children in the early years, particularly enjoy extending their learning through their work in their forest area.

The staff describe themselves as a tightknit community. They are proud to work in this small village school.

Staff members feel supported by leaders. They said that they have the training and time they need to do their jobs well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured that staff receive regular safeguarding training. This means that staff are adept at identifying pupils who may be at risk of harm or neglect.

Leaders and staff know the pupils and their families well.

They quickly identify those who may need support. Leaders work with several partner agencies to get high-quality support and guidance for pupils, when required.

Pupils feel safe in school.

They learn about the dangers of walking and cycling on the narrow country roads around the school. Pupils learn how to keep safe while using the internet through the computing curriculum.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In one or two subjects, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers have not delivered some aspects of the curriculum.

As a result, a few pupils are slightly behind where they should be in their learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers revisit any lost learning to enable these pupils to catch up quickly with their peers.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2017.