Silsoe CofE VC Lower School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 March 2023

Pupils at Silsoe School feel included because of the caring ethos. There are warm and positive relationships between everyone. Pupils feel safe and happy. They talk about how the school values help them. For example, the school's value of 'positivity' helps them when their work gets hard. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and keen to share what they are doing. In some subjects, what pupils learn is not clearly set out. This means they do not always build on their learning. Pupils are respectful to everyone. They respond well to the high expectations for behaviour. Lessons are calm and orderly. Pupils move sensibly around the school. They know what bullying is and say it rarely happens. If it is reported, pupils say it is always dealt with. Pupils enjoy their trips and visits, including the Faith Tour, a trip to Celtic Harmony, and they are excited about the forthcoming trip to Grafham Water. These experiences help pupils to deepen their learning. Leaders work hard to build positive relationships with the community. Most parents support the school. However, there are small number who share concerns about the quality and timeliness of communication from the school.

What the school should improve

• For a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not fully developed. In these subjects, the precise sequence of learning and what is to be taught and when is not clearly set out. This means that pupils learn a disconnected series of knowledge and skills that do not build on prior learning. Leaders must ensure that all subjects are planned and sequenced so that pupils build on their learning and are ready for the next stages of their education.
• Older readers who are at the early stages of reading do not always have books that closely match their reading ability. As a result, a small number of pupils do not learn to read as quickly as they should. Leaders must ensure that all readers have books that are closely matched to their ability.
• A small proportion of parents feel that leaders could engage with them better. Leaders should continue to review how they communicate with parents to ensure that as many parents as possible understand what leaders are doing and why, are engaged and know how to support their children even better with their education.

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