Overbury CofE First School

Overview

Overbury CofE First School is described as a "warm, welcoming and happy place" where relationships are strong and pupils feel safe. The inspection confirms that the school continues to be good, with leaders and staff maintaining high expectations for pupil achievement and behaviour.

Strengths

• Staff know every pupil well, creating an environment where children "care about each other" and feel "well looked after."
• The curriculum in English and mathematics is "ambitious" and "coherently sequenced," allowing pupils to demonstrate competence from an early age.
• Reading is prioritised effectively; staff deliver phonics confidently, and books are "matched well to their phonic knowledge" to support fluency.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive "effective, tailored support" and thrive in an inclusive environment.
• Leaders and governors are clear in their ambition, ensuring low-level disruption is rare and pupils are motivated to engage in learning.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must define the "precise key knowledge" for a few foundation subjects, as current uncertainty means pupils "do not achieve as well as they could."
• Assessment in some foundation subjects "lacks precision," requiring leaders to ensure teachers check retention of key knowledge to inform future planning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff receiving regular training and knowing how to spot changes in pupils that could signal they are at risk of harm.