High Beech CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 June 2023

Pupils flourish as members of the High Beech family. This small village school is friendly and welcoming. Pupils from all age groups enjoy playing together in the school's delightful forest environment. Pupils feel and are safe. Each pupil has named three trusted adults they can talk to if they have any worries that they need to share. Bullying hardly ever happens. Pupils are confident that the adults will sort out any problems if they arise. Adults have high expectations for pupils' learning and their conduct around the school. Pupils understand these expectations. They work hard and behave well. There is rarely any disruption to lessons. Consequently, most pupils learn well. Older pupils act as role models for younger pupils. They enjoy the responsibility of supporting their younger peers in the hall and outside. Pupils benefit from a range of rich experiences that broaden their horizons. Every class goes on trips to venues such as St Paul's Cathedral, a nearby museum or a local farm for a 'farm to fork' day. Pupils take part in memorable workshops such as Ancient Greeks day. The school's location in the heart of the forest offers pupils valuable opportunities to learn about the natural world.

What the school should improve

• In some foundation subjects, curriculum leaders have not precisely mapped out the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn or the order in which they should learn them. As a result, in these subjects, pupils' learning is not as secure as it could be. Leaders should prioritise the remaining curriculum development needed. In doing so, they must ensure that pupils are supported to build their knowledge and skills sequentially. This is so that pupils know more and remember more of the content that they are taught in all subjects.
• Curriculum leaders' systems for checking the effectiveness of the curriculum are not fully embedded in all areas. This means that they do not always know when changes need to be made. Leaders should ensure that the system for evaluating the implementation of the curriculum is in place for all subjects so that any improvements needed are made quickly and all pupils are supported to learn well.

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