Aveton Gifford CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Aveton Gifford C of E Primary School Fore Street, Aveton Gifford, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 4LB

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Outcome

Aveton Gifford C of E Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are at the heart of this inclusive village school. Leaders are determined that all pupils reach their full potential. Pupils say the school is like ‘one big family’. A large proportion of parents and carers also share this view.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to school. This is reflected in their good attendance. Pupils’ enthusiasm for the wide range of opportunities on offer shines through. This helps their personal development. They excitedly describe how they use the school swimming pool to prepare them for a life by the coast. Staff prioritise helping pupils to develop their interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. They are confident that bullying does not happen. Pupils told inspectors that this is because bullying is not tolerated. Pupils are confident that if it did happen, it would be managed well by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop a strong understanding of the importance of tolerance and respect. Careful planning of subjects enables pupils to learn in great detail about equality and diversity. This prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

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

The school continues to provide a good education. Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils. Staff share this ambition. They appreciate the work done by the head of school and the trust to consider their work-life balance. Staff morale is high.

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

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils work hard in lessons and strive to do their very best in all that they do. They enjoy the high-quality learning that is well planned in most subjects. For example, pupils carefully develop their art knowledge and skills. Their vibrant artwork, displayed around the school, also reflects well their understanding of relevant issues and global influences in society. 8 June 2021 Leaders and teachers know their pupils well. They have a particularly strong understanding of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff ensure that pupils receive effective support. As a result, pupils with SEND make strong progress.

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

Leaders have made improvements to the mathematics curriculum. Mathematics is well taught across the school, including in the early years. Leaders consider what pupils have learned so that they can build on prior knowledge. Teachers carefully plan lessons that help pupils to know more and remember more. They make sure that pupils understand key concepts before progressing to the next one.

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

The curriculum has been planned well to make good use of the school grounds in order to bring learning alive. In the early years, leaders have been successful in developing the provision to broaden children’s experiences. Likewise, older pupils speak positively about the on-site ‘Forest School’ and the wider curriculum opportunities available to them. These include sailing, paddle boarding and surfing. Pupils appreciate the experiences that leaders provide.

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

In September 2020, leaders introduced a new early reading curriculum and provided additional training for staff. This is because checks on how well pupils could read found that some pupils had not secured the necessary knowledge to read fluently. The teaching of phonics is now well designed. Staff expertly plan and adapt their phonics teaching to meet the needs of pupils.

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

Children in the Reception Year start to learn early reading skills as soon as they start school. They experience a wide range of stories, rhymes, songs and other activities that help develop their communication skills well. In key stage 1, pupils build on these early reading skills successfully. Pupils adore reading. One pupil said, ‘There is every type of book you could ever want in this school.’ Teachers choose high-quality texts for pupils to read at home and in class. Nevertheless, some pupils’ reading in lower key stage 2 is not yet where it should be. Leaders are determined that these pupils will catch up.

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

In some subjects, curriculum plans are not as well thought out as they need to be. This means that in Spanish, for example, some teaching is not as well organised. As a result, pupils do not develop their knowledge of this subject well enough. Leaders recognise this and are beginning to provide additional support to teachers in becoming more confident in planning and teaching this subject.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Keeping pupils safe is the staff’s top priority. Leaders have made sure that all staff are knowledgeable and receive frequent, up-to-date safeguarding training. Systems for reporting concerns are effective. As a result, staff know exactly what to do if they have concerns or are worried about a pupil. 8 June 2021 Leaders have ensured that, through the curriculum, pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. In particular, they are very clear about how to stay safe when using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils in lower key stage 2 have fallen behind with their reading. This is because the curriculum plans for reading were not well organised. Teaching staff have implemented a new reading curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that pupils in lower key stage 2 catch up quickly.  In some foundation subjects, the curriculum is not as well organised as it needs to be. Leaders have not considered well enough how pupils develop knowledge by building on prior learning and securing key ideas. Leaders need to ensure that the content of all subject plans is carefully organised, and that the teaching staff’s subject knowledge is of an equally high standard across all subjects.

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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 some evidence that a good school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, 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 convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 29 and 30 May 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 8 June 2021

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school here .

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 8 June 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10196691 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 February 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school.  The school is part of the Diocese of Exeter and had its last section 48 inspection in July 2017.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the head of school, executive headteacher, subject leaders, class teachers and four trustees, including the chief executive officer.  Inspectors visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their experience of the school.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read to an adult.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, and modern foreign languages. Inspectors talked to teachers who lead these subjects. Inspectors visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke with teachers about what they were teaching, and to pupils about their learning.  Inspectors considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader to check the effectiveness 8 June 2021 of safeguarding. Inspectors also asked pupils how they keep themselves safe and what

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Inspection team

Matt Middlemore, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lydia Pride Her Majesty’s Inspector 8 June 2021 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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