Aldbury Church of England Primary and Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 16 May 2023

Pupils love attending this small village school. They are kind, open and welcoming to visitors. Pupils are proud of their school and like to celebrate what makes it unique, such as how newcomers are welcomed and made to feel part of the close-knit community. Pupils are happy and safe. Pupils respond to leaders' high expectations, behaving well around the school. They usually carry out work tasks quickly and with enthusiasm. This means that pupils achieve well. A few pupils display low-level, negative behaviour in some classes, and teachers address this, but it can slow the pace of some lessons. Bullying is rare. Occasionally, a few pupils fall out with each other. They have learned strategies to deal with this. This helps to build their independence and self- confidence when dealing with difficult situations. They also know that adults will help them with this if needed. Pupils recognise differences between each other and learn to appreciate these. They show mature attitudes and compassion for each other. Some older pupils have jobs and roles, such as school councillors and sports ambassadors. These help pupils to learn about being responsible citizens, preparing them well for the next stage in their education.

What the school should improve

• A few pupils in some circumstances display low-level, inappropriate behaviour. This means that they are not as ready to learn as other pupils and may miss some important learning. Leaders must develop a whole-school approach to managing pupils' behaviour, which all pupils and teachers can follow and understand.
• A few pupils have some gaps in their phonics knowledge. This means that they cannot fully build up new learning, as their past learning is not secure. Leaders need to ensure that teachers assess all pupils' phonics knowledge accurately so that gaps in their knowledge can be identified and addressed.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)