Eyam CofE Primary School

Inspection of Eyam CofE Primary School Church Street, Eyam, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 5QH

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 3 and 4 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is at the heart of its community. Pupils are extremely proud and happy to attend. They describe it as a welcoming and comforting space. All staff know pupils and their families well. Pupils said that this helps them to feel secure and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s work to encourage pupils’ personal development is outstanding. Pupils learn how to develop their character. They act as leaders. They champion important causes. Pupils are knowledgeable about fundamental British Values. They show fierce determination to ensure equality and fairness. They are heavily involved in community work. Pupils said that the school is helping them to become active citizens in the world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Pupils’ achievement is improving. They behave well. The school’s values of respect, resilience and responsibility are meaningful to pupils. Pupils show each other care and kindness. They work together productively. Children in the early years show perseverance and enthusiasm when learning new things. In lessons, disruption is rare, but silliness can happen when pupils get excited and fuss on corridors. These issues are quickly resolved by staff. The school is a happy and calm place in which to learn.

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

The curriculum has been well researched. It matches the ambition of the national curriculum. There is a clear focus on the knowledge that pupils need to know and when they need to learn it. The way in which learning progresses from the early years to Year 6 is well thought through. The opportunities for pupils to return to important knowledge are well crafted. However, the implementation of the curriculum is further ahead in some subjects, such as mathematics, than in some of the other subjects within the wider curriculum. A few of the wider curriculum subjects are still in the early stages of implementation.

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

The curriculum supports the development of pupils’ oracy effectively. This is particularly evident in the early years. Children proudly offer correct definitions of words such as ‘ramble’ and ‘valley’. Discussion is promoted. Rhymes and songs are used effectively.

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

Staff have good subject knowledge. They offer clear explanations. Teachers check pupils’ understanding and adapt learning. The ‘memory minute’ is particularly popular with pupils. They said that it helps them to remember things long-term.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive expert care and support. Their needs are swiftly identified. The curriculum is suitably delivered to ensure that pupils with SEND experience the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

Pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they enter the early years. There is a well- designed and sequenced phonics curriculum. The curriculum is delivered expertly. 3 and 4 December 2024

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However, reading books are not closely enough matched to some pupils’ phonics knowledge. This prevents them from confidently practising their reading and becoming fluent readers as quickly as they could.

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The love of reading is promoted. Pupils said that they ‘just love reading’. Pupils are introduced to diverse authors and the wider world outside of Eyam. Pupils benefit from a well-stocked and comfortable library.

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Pupils’ attendance is a school priority. The school has raised the profile of good attendance with parents. They have provided some families with effective help. The number of pupils who are absent from school has reduced. Fewer pupils are now late to school.

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Pupils have a good understanding of different faiths and cultures. For example, the recent visit to the mosque engendered genuine interest. The work with a school in Burkina Faso has provided pupils with many fascinating insights. Pupils learn about recent national and international issues. They are extremely proud of their recent efforts to provide parcels of support for people in countries affected by war.

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Pupils benefit from effective pastoral care. They also provide care and guidance for each other. All older pupils have a leadership role. These include being a house captain, sports leader, worship leader, I-Venger, librarian and play leader. Older pupils are positive role models for younger peers. Pupils said that the school really helps them to develop a sense of care and responsibility.

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Parents and carers are extraordinarily supportive of the school and the impact it has on their children and on the wider village community. They are grateful to staff for going ‘above and beyond’ for their family.

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Governors are knowledgeable and skilled. They provide effective support and challenge to the school.

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Staff appreciate that leaders are genuinely interested in their welfare. In a small school, there is a lot to be done by very few people. Even so, staff appreciate the actions taken to safeguard their work life balance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 December 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Reading books are not closely matched to some pupils’ reading needs. This limits some pupils’ ability to become confident readers. The school should ensure that reading books closely match pupils’ phonics ability and that they receive regular opportunity to practise their reading so that they become accurate and fluent readers.  The curriculum is not consistently implemented in some of the foundation subjects. Some subjects have had more time than others to firmly embed the curriculum plans. The school should ensure that the intended curriculum is implemented consistently and that the curriculum ensures that pupils acquire the knowledge and skills needed to be ready for their next learning steps.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school. It received its Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) inspection in June 2019.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 3 and 4 December 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. They discussed pupils’ attendance.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher and a range of school staff.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors and members of the governing body. She spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. As part of the deep dives, inspectors spoke with curriculum leaders to review the curriculum,

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visited lessons and considered pupils’ work. They spoke with teachers. Inspectors also spoke with the curriculum leaders of science and computing and reviewed curriculum planning.  Inspectors visited the early years provision, including the outdoor learning, and spoke with the early years lead.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at various times in the school day, including the start and end of the day and at lunchtime and breaktime.  Inspectors considered the response to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View and the survey of staff and pupils. They spoke with parents.

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Inspection team

Jayne Ashman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Monaghan Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 2024

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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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