Chailey St Peter’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this warm and welcoming school. They love the many games and activities available on the field at lunchtime.

They appreciate the care and support they receive from staff. Pupils know there is someone they can talk to if they are worried about anything. As a result, they feel happy and safe in school.

The school has high expectations for pupils. It aims to give them 'roots to grow and wings to fly'. Children in Reception get off to a very strong start.

They settle quickly because routines and expectations are clear and well established. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in every aspect of schoo...l life. Older pupils behave well and show a keen interest in their learning.

However, the school recognises that outcomes in national assessments in English and mathematics are not high enough. It is working hard to improve pupils' achievement in this area.

Pupils benefit from a rich and extensive wider curriculum.

Pupils act as 'courageous advocates' in social action projects for nature preservation and animal protection. They support older members of the local community by serving them food at the intergenerational lunch club. Pupils in Year 6 visit the famous local opera house to watch live opera.

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

The school has put in place an effective approach to reading. From their first days in Reception, children begin to learn and practise phonics knowledge. Staff deliver the phonics programme with precision.

They are quick to spot and remedy any gaps in pupils' reading development. The school makes sure that pupils read a rich set of texts, for example, in the inviting, well-stocked library. All of this supports pupils to become fluent, confident readers.

The school has designed a broad and enriched curriculum. The development of pupils' language and vocabulary is a key focus. For example, older pupils learn words such 'exquisite', 'radiant', 'intricate' and 'mystical', which they then use in their own descriptive writing.

In most subjects, the curriculum identifies what teachers need to teach and when. For example, in mathematics pupils progress from counting objects to understanding place value, decimals, fractions and negative numbers. Eventually, they learn to solve multi-step calculations confidently.

However, in a few subjects, the curriculum is not clear enough about the core knowledge that pupils must learn. The school has tried to include too much and sometimes does not implement the curriculum in a way that supports pupils' learning. As a result, pupils do not have enough opportunity to revisit core knowledge and sometimes forget what they have learned.

The number of pupils identified with SEND across the school is increasing. Staff receive regular training and expert guidance to identify, understand and meet pupils' needs. They use this knowledge to provide effective support, ensuring that pupils can access learning successfully.

Those with more significant needs benefit from targeted support from skilled staff.Provision in the early years is exceptional. Staff create a stimulating and purposeful environment.

For example, children learn to use a hammer and saw safely in the woodwork area. They practise making bread in the 'bakery'. No opportunity is lost to develop children's communication and language, for example when pretending to sell ice creams to staff in the 'ice cream parlour'.

This lays a very solid foundation for children's future learning.

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is calm, caring and harmonious. Pupils learn how to recognise and manage their emotions.

Most pupils have good attendance. There is effective support in place for those whose attendance needs to improve.

The wider personal development of pupils is a considerable strength of the school.

The school outlines '10 Things to Do Before You Leave Chailey St Peters'. Pupils visit places that enrich their understanding of the curriculum and broaden their horizons. These include museums, wildlife reserves and activity centres.

All pupils take part in lessons about nature and the outdoors. Pupils feed the chickens and tend to the vegetables on the school allotment. Disadvantaged pupils are fully included in this extensive provision.

The school's personal, social, health and economic programme ensures that pupils have a strong understanding of equality and diversity in modern Britain. They learn how to keep safe, including online. Teachers explain sensitive topics, such as healthy relationships, with care.

Leaders and governors are highly committed to the school. Staff value the benefits of the school's joint working with two local schools also led by the executive headteacher. They appreciate leaders' support for their workload and well-being.

Most parents are very supportive of the school. One parent summed up the views of many when they described it as 'such a lovely little school'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few foundation subjects, the school has tried to include too much in the curriculum. As a result, pupils do not have enough opportunity to revisit and review previous learning, which limits their capacity to embed the learning in their long-term memory. The school should review the selection and sequencing of core knowledge in the curriculum in these subjects, in order to support pupils to know more and remember more over time.

• In some foundation subjects, the curriculum is sometimes not implemented in such a way as to embed the learning in pupils' long-term memory. As a result, pupils struggle to recall important knowledge in those subjects. The school must ensure the curriculum is implemented with greater precision to embed learning over time.

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