Stelling Minnis Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 June 2022

Pupils thrive in the caring, nurturing environment of this small village school. They enjoy coming to school, where everyone is included and encouraged to do their best. Pupils are happy and value the friendships they make during their time here. There is a close-knit feel and a real sense of belonging. One parent said, 'In the morning, it's like dropping them off with family'. Pupils show extremely high levels of respect for each other, adults and their environment. The school values of 'love, respect and perseverance' are at the heart of everything it does. All staff know all of the pupils very well and there are positive, trusting relationships. Pupils know that they can share any worries or concerns they may have. They feel listened to, safe and secure. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They enjoy all the opportunities the school offers them, including the forest school and sport activities such as archery. Pupils' behaviour is outstanding. They are polite and friendly. Pupils believe that bullying is incredibly rare and that any issues are dealt with effectively. Pupils rise to teachers' expectations to flourish, personally, socially and academically, and become the 'shining stars' of the school's vision.

What the school should improve

• Leaders' high expectations for pupils' learning are not always fully realised. The most important knowledge pupils need to learn is not always selected or organised with enough precision, depth and challenge. This means that while pupils achieve well, they could build and develop their skills even more effectively to know and remember more across the curriculum. Subject leaders need to monitor refinements to the curriculum, which are already underway, to ensure that changes are embedded securely and consistently.

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