Clifton-upon-Dunsmore CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Clifton-upon-Dunsmore CofE Primary School is a welcoming and inclusive school, which pupils are proud to attend.

Pupils are polite and kind. They look out for each other and are respectful of differences between them and others. They enjoy warm and nurturing relationships with staff in school.

Behaviour around school is positive and no learning time is lost. Pupils are taught how to be resilient. They enjoy living up to the mantra of 'I can't do it yeti'.

Pupils benefit from the plethora of opportunities on offer. From the 'writing guild' to 'peer mediators', pupils take their responsibilities seriously and confidently talk about how they contribute to the wi...der life of the school. The school offers a variety of clubs and activities throughout the school day, including an early-morning choir and the lunchtime 'pop-up clay club', allowing pupils to explore their interests beyond the classroom.

Pupils enjoy learning about other faiths and visiting places of worship.

The school wants the very best for every pupil, and they achieve well in national assessments. However, the school does not have sufficient oversight of the impact of some aspects of its work.

This means that pupils, particularly in the early years, do not achieve as well as they could.

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

Pupils learn to love reading. A phonics programme is in place and staff have received appropriate training.

In the new pre-school, children begin learning how to make and recognise the sounds they need for their next stages of learning to read. From Reception Year onwards, pupils, including those at the very earliest stages of learning to read, practise their reading in books matched to the sounds they know. Regular checking identifies pupils who are falling behind.

Extra support is quickly put in place.

Children in the early years settle quickly. Routines and expectations are set out from the very start.

Any special educational needs/and or disabilities (SEND) are identified, and the school uses specialist external support to ensure that needs are met. While the early years curriculum is carefully constructed to build children's knowledge and appeal to their interests, not all staff are skilled in ensuring that children get the very best from every activity. Some activities do not match the intended learning and some of the adults' interactions with children do not help the children to develop the vocabulary they need.

The school has not identified that there is some inconsistency of approach or that some pupils' errors are not picked up quickly enough. This means that some children are not as ready for Year 1 as they could be.

In some subjects, such as mathematics and science, the curriculum identifies what pupils are to learn and the order in which they will learn it, from the early years up to Year 6.

This helps pupils to build on their learning over time. For example, in science, Year 6 pupils dissecting a pig's heart could link new ideas to their previous learning about exercise and physical health. Pupils confidently describe the circulatory system using terms such as 'de-oxygenated and oxygenated blood'.

Pupils with SEND rightly access the same curriculum as their friends. Adaptations, where needed, are mostly effective.

The school's programme for personal development is a strength.

For example, pupils benefit from learning about career opportunities, including from previous pupils at the school. Residential trips help pupils to develop teamwork and perseverance. Initiatives such as 'British values week' help pupils to be prepared for life beyond school.

For instance, they learn about voting and enjoy the 'debating club'. A visit to the beaches of Normandy helps pupils to develop respect and empathy. Carefully chosen texts and stories deepen pupils' understanding of other important topics.

The governing body does not have a sufficient understanding of what is working well or where further improvements are needed. This means that they are unable to hold the school to account effectively. Stakeholders' views of the school are mixed.

Some staff and parents are dissatisfied with some aspects of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Some aspects of safeguarding are not as sharp as they should be.

This includes ensuring that systems, processes and policies are up to date and followed consistently, and ensuring that all staff have received the appropriate training and understand statutory guidance. Despite this, pupils are well cared for in school. All staff know that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

There are systems in place to ensure that concerns are reported, and these are followed up effectively.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In the early years, some activities and interactions do not match the intended learning and do not help children to develop the vocabulary they need. This slows the progress that these children make.

The school should ensure that activities and interactions support the intended learning and have the impact that the school intends. ? Governors do not have sufficient understanding of the school's work and so do not provide the challenge and support needed to bring about further improvements. The school should ensure that it routinely evaluates its provision and uses the information so that governors have the knowledge to offer support and robustly hold leaders fully to account for the work of the school.

• The school has not communicated effectively with stakeholders. Some stakeholders have negative perceptions of the school's work in some areas, which has led to uncertainty and dissatisfaction. The school should ensure that opportunities to engage are meaningful and help all stakeholders to regain confidence in the school's work.

There are some minor weaknesses in the school's safeguarding procedures. This means there is the potential for some safeguarding actions and checks to be missed. The school needs to ensure that all required safeguarding checks, policies and processes are up to date, in place and consistently followed.

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