Bishop Monkton Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 July 2023

Leaders make sure that their vision for pupils to be 'healthy, happy and vibrant individuals' becomes a reality. There are many opportunities for pupils to take part in activities beyond the daily school curriculum. Pupils relish the residential visit to Le Touquet, where they are encouraged to speak in French. Those in the choir have performed at the Royal Hall in Harrogate. Many pupils take part in school and regional sporting competitions. The list of clubs and events is impressive given the size of the school. Leaders celebrate pupils' talents through musical soirees, talent competitions and collective worship. Pupils are confident and thoughtful in expressing their views. This is because leaders actively seek their opinions to make further improvements in school. Pupils spoken to during this inspection say that they feel safe in school. They express some concerns about the behaviour of a few pupils. However, bullying is rare and pupils are confident that leaders will deal with any incidents of concern. Children in the early years foundation stage are nurtured in a welcoming environment. Staff teach the children how to access a wide variety of learning activities independently. Children happily talk to one another and share resources.

What the school should improve

• The English curriculum does not outline the specific key components of writing and when these should be taught. Teachers do not receive highly effective professional development in the teaching of writing. This means that standards in writing are not as high as standards in other subject areas. Leaders should ensure that the writing curriculum is on a par with the national curriculum. Leaders should also provide teachers with training on the structuring and teaching of writing.
• There is inconsistency in staff implementing the new behaviour policy and in expectations of pupils' behaviour. This leads to a few pupils showing some low- level disruptive behaviour. Some pupils, while not disrupting others, are not consistently engaged in their learning. Leaders should ensure that all staff are consistent in terms of expectations of behaviour for learning and consistently apply the behaviour policy. Leaders should also analyse patterns of behaviour and report these to the governing body.

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