Uffington Church of England Primary School

Overview

Pupils are described as “happy and feel safe” at this “small, vibrant village school,” where they “get on well together” and value one another. The school maintains a “calm and orderly” environment with high expectations for behaviour, while leaders have designed a “vibrant and interesting curriculum” that is “ambitious for all pupils.”

Strengths

• Personal development is “exemplary,” with pupils offering “reasoned, respectful contributions” on topical themes and using their “democratic voice” to influence local change.
• The curriculum is “carefully sequenced” and enriched with real-world experiences, such as trips to museums and caring for the local community garden.
• A “love of reading is promoted at every opportunity,” with pupils delighting in the library and engaging enthusiastically with stories in early years.
• Staff “understand pupils’ individual needs well,” ensuring those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are “fully included in all areas of school life.”
• Governors “share leaders’ ambitious vision” and offer “effective challenge,” while being mindful of staff workload and well-being.

Areas to improve

• Some staff do not teach the new phonics programme effectively, failing to ensure reading books “match the sounds they learn in lessons,” which hinders weaker readers.
• In some foundation subjects and early years, teachers move on to new work too quickly without checking that all pupils, including those with SEND, have “embed[ded] the important ideas.”

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with strong systems in place to ensure concerns are “followed up promptly” and staff understand local risks.