Northchapel Community Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 July 2023

Each pupil feels they are known as an individual and are cared for by staff. This helps pupils to feel safe and confident. Pupils benefit from respectful and honest communication between each other and with staff. Pupils typically behave well. They know that if issues arise, staff will listen and respond swiftly. As one parent commented, 'This is a small school with a big heart.' This typifies what pupils feel. The staff and pupils share a close, positive bond. Pupils relish the effort from staff to support their personal development. Leaders provide ambitious activities and experiences for pupils. They understand the school's commitment to widen their experience with residentials in Oxford or trips to central London. Pupils recognise how these opportunities enhance their learning. They appreciate how the experiences broaden their horizons and raise their aspirations. Leaders have high expectations of pupils' learning and pupils consistently meet these. Pupils benefit from being involved in and contributing to rich discussions. Staff promote mature and thought-provoking debate between pupils, such as about the nature of the universe. Pupils interact with mature and thoughtful contributions.

What the school should improve

• The quality of the provision in Reception is variable. This means that children do not consistently learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff are supported to design a coherent Reception curriculum that links well to the rest of the school. They should robustly implement it to ensure that children are supported to make good progress throughout the school.

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