Yealmpstone Farm Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is a good and improving school with some outstanding features.

Pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn. Effective teaching promotes good learning and progress. This is an improvement on previous years when progress was much slower.

The curriculum promotes very strong personal development. Pupils have an outstanding grasp of how to stay safe and healthy because they have very good opportunities to explore these areas. Their contribution to the community is outstanding; the 'learning detectives' group takes its role seriously and provides first-hand feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of lessons.

Attainment is improving but remains average. Strong support for pupils means t...hat the achievement of all groups, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Most parents and carers hold very favourable views of the school.

One typical comment was, 'A lovely school and all the teachers are always welcoming and seem to be really interested in each pupil's welfare.' Pupils are well cared for and know there is always a friendly adult ready to help them. They make a good start to their education in the Early Years Foundation Stage and are well prepared to start the National Curriculum in Year 1.

However, the Reception class outside area is unattractive and lacks resources, limiting children's literacy opportunities. The school is aware of this and plans to make improvements, now that other building work has been completed. Effective assessment informs lesson planning and triggers interventions for those who need extra help.

Most lessons are lively and focused on learning; pupils behave well and their occasional restlessness is well managed. Lesson planning is effective and teaching assistants play a significant role in offering additional support. Occasionally, the pace in lessons slows and not all pupils are fully challenged, particularly when the teacher is talking to the whole class.

Numerous partnerships, such as links with the European Union, provide excellent additional opportunities for pupils to experience the wider world. They give greater breadth and depth to the curriculum, which has excellent international and arts dimensions. This supports the promotion of community cohesion which is excellent and has a very beneficial impact on the school, the local area and beyond.

The headteacher and senior team galvanise staff and channel their efforts to good effect. Strong self-evaluation, particularly the analysis of data, provides school leaders and the governing body with an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Concerted actions have brought about improvements in teaching and progress and are beginning to raise attainment.

The school's management systems run smoothly. Staff share the headteacher's ambitions and work well as a team to implement relevant plans for the future. The school has a good capacity for sustained improvement.

Information about the school

Yealmpstone Farm is a little smaller than most primary schools. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. Most pupils are White British and speak English as their first language.

The percentage of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average; the largest group of pupils in this category has moderate learning difficulties. The school holds the International Schools Award and Artsmark Gold. The on-site Nursery is privately run and managed and was not part of this inspection.

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