St Peter's CofE Academy Alton

Overview

St Peter's CofE Academy Alton is described as a "good school" that is "effectively led" and sits "at the heart of the local community." The inspection highlights a "vibrant" environment where children are "nurtured, thrive and flourish" within a strong Christian ethos.

Strengths

• Reading and mathematics are "taught particularly well," with a "high priority" placed on literacy and a "carefully sequenced" curriculum.
• Pupils are "extremely polite and well mannered," demonstrating "respect and care for each other" in a setting with "warmth in the relationships" adults have with them.
• Personal development is "wide ranging," offering diverse experiences such as outdoor adventures and community service that "foster a love of learning."
• Pastoral care is a "strength," with pupils actively engaging in charity work and supporting local care homes.
• Staff receive support for workload management, and the trust provides opportunities for professional collaboration.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must "evaluate this very new phonics programme" to ensure it delivers the "planned impact" on early reading.
• Assessment practices need strengthening across all subjects; currently, leaders "do not use assessment to identify if pupils have understood everything they need to" in some areas, leaving "gaps in pupils’ knowledge" unaddressed.

Safeguarding

The report states that "arrangements for safeguarding are effective," noting a "strong culture of safeguarding" where staff receive regular training and work proactively with external agencies.