Sir Robert Hitcham Church of England Voluntary Aided School

Overview

The report describes a school where pupils are “happy and safe” and benefit from a “strong sense of community spirit.” Leaders have implemented an “ambitious new curriculum” that successfully prepares pupils for their next stage of education, with teachers providing the “support and challenge they need to do well.”

Strengths

• Teachers have a “good understanding of how to build on pupils’ prior learning,” ensuring pupils can “remember what they have been taught” and build confidence.
• Assessment in mathematics and early reading is “well developed and used effectively to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge,” allowing for timely support.
• Leaders have “prioritised reading,” ensuring staff are “well trained to support children... to learn phonics and read with fluency.”
• The personal development programme helps pupils discuss important topics “thoughtfully and with interest,” preparing them for “life in modern Britain.”
• Staff are “well supported and proud to work at the school,” and parents are “very positive about their children’s education.”

Areas to improve

• In foundation subjects, assessment systems do not consistently identify knowledge gaps, meaning “pupils’ misunderstandings are not addressed before they move on to the next topic.”
• Leaders should create a “coherent enrichment programme” to provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their “wider understanding about life in modern Britain.”

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with staff who are “well trained and confident to report safeguarding concerns” and a team that is “robust in responding to these.”