The Horsell Village School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 February 2023

This is a school where pupils love to come and learn. From the early years upwards, pupils are fully engaged in their learning. Adults know pupils as individuals. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils feel safe because they know there is an adult they can go to if they have a worry. Leaders have high expectations of behaviour. All pupils learn to follow the school motto, 'Kindness to yourself, kindness to others, kindness to the world', from the moment they start in Reception. In class, pupils behave well, listen and concentrate. There is no interruption to learning. Pupils enjoy playtimes with their friends. They love the new playground equipment. Pupils know that if there are incidents of bullying, an adult will deal with them. All leaders are ambitious for every pupil in the school. They have put systems in place to support pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils' attitudes to learning are strong. They know that their teachers expect them to try their best, and they do not disappoint them. As a result, pupils achieve well.

What the school should improve

• Leaders use a wide range of books to develop pupils' early reading skills. As a result, for some pupils, they are not able to easily decode the words they read. Leaders should make sure that pupils read books that closely match the letters and sounds they have learned.
• In some subjects, teachers are not reviewing and making links between what pupils are doing now and what they have learned in the past. Consequently, pupils are not building their knowledge as well as they could over time. Leaders need to ensure that teachers systematically ascertain what key knowledge pupils know and remember.

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