Clifton CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this small school, which is at the heart of the village community. From the moment they join their 'Clifton family' for the day, pupils know that it will be filled with learning and fun.

Here, pupils thrive as individuals. They know there are staff they can go to if they have any worries. Equally importantly, they care for each other.

There is a highly ambitious early years curriculum. It sparks children's curiosity, aligns with their interests and ignites a love of learning. This high aspiration continues throughout the school.

Pupils welcome this and respond by working hard in their lessons. They achieve well.

Pupils' behaviou...r is exemplary, including when they are out at community events or on school trips.

They treat everybody with kindness and respect. Playtimes are sociable, positive experiences. Older pupils support younger pupils in organised games.

Pupils develop their character through taking positions of responsibility such as belonging to the school council or the eco-team. Pupils ascribe to the school vision 'let your light shine'. On a personal level, they strive to do their best at all times.

As a part of the 'Clifton family', they celebrate and shine a light on the achievements of others.

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

The school has designed an exciting, challenging curriculum. It has identified and sequenced the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn in every subject.

In many subjects, this leads to pupils achieving well. However, in a few wider curriculum subjects, the school has not identified the key concepts that should underpin learning to allow pupils to build knowledge over time. Pupils' learning in these subjects is not as secure as it could be.

The school has not established a clear approach to teaching handwriting. This means that some pupils' letter formation is not as accurate as it could be.

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at the earliest opportunity.

It puts careful plans in place to support these pupils. It ensures that teachers are trained to adapt learning activities where necessary. This enables pupils with SEND to make the best possible progress through the curriculum.

The provision in the Reception Year is exceptionally well designed to meet the needs of the children. Exciting learning opportunities draw children in. Staff initiate high-quality discussions to extend children's learning and vocabulary.

Children are very sociable and friendly. They show extremely high levels of interest in what they are doing. They make excellent progress through the curriculum as a result.

The school trains staff to deliver the early reading programme well. As soon as they start school, pupils begin learning about letters and their sounds. By the end of Year 1, most pupils have a strong knowledge of phonics and use this to read with increasing fluency and accuracy.

Any pupils who are in danger of falling behind are immediately identified and supported to catch up.

The school's approaches to checking pupils' learning are effective. Teachers use this information to address identified misconceptions and plan future learning.

Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They are positive, engaged and respectful. They take responsibility for their own learning right from when they start school in the early years.

Attendance is high. The school works with parents and carers to ensure that the vast majority of pupils are in school regularly and on time.

Pupils' learning is enriched through many exciting trips.

The school makes up for its small size by joining the immediate and wider community for a variety of events. For example, pupils perform in musical and theatrical productions and support the traditional Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football game. All pupils take part in competitive sports.

The school builds pupils' awareness and appreciation of fundamental British values, including the cultures and beliefs of others. Pupils have frequent opportunities to discuss world issues relating to equality and diversity.

Leaders have very high expectations and aspirations for all pupils' academic and wider education.

These have been realised in most areas of the curriculum and all areas of personal development.

Parents love the school. They feel well informed about all aspects of school life.

They feel that the school listens to any concerns they might have.

Staff agree that they are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the many professional development opportunities.

Staff feel leaders have their well-being at the forefront of any decisions. They welcome the introduction of high-quality schemes of work, which has had a positive impact on workload.

Governors are knowledgeable about all aspects of the school.

This has helped them to both support and challenge the school on its improvement journey.

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 most important knowledge, underlying concepts and vocabulary that pupils need to learn has not been identified clearly enough.

In these subjects, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and do not build their understanding or link learning over time as well as they could. They also find it difficult to articulate their learning. The school should ensure that key curriculum concepts and vocabulary are identified and taught so that pupils know and remember more.

• The school does not have clear expectations and an agreed approach for teaching handwriting and presentation. This means that the quality of some pupils' written work is not as strong as it should be. The school should support pupils to produce written work of consistently high quality across the curriculum.