Witchampton Church of England First School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 March 2023

Witchampton's ethos of being a 'small school with a big heart - making a difference' is reflected in the actions of staff and pupils. They take a caring and community- facing approach. Leaders promote the school's values of love, courage, inspiration and respect. When pupils, including children in the early years, demonstrate one of these values they are issued with a 'Witchampton Wow'. Pupils wear these on their jumpers with pride. Pupils benefit from warm, nurturing relationships with staff. Bullying is extremely rare. If it does occur, then it is dealt with swiftly. As a result, pupils are happy and want to come to school. Children in the early years foundation stage settle into school life quickly. They benefit from established routines and a stimulating environment in which to learn. There are a range of leadership opportunities across the school. These include belonging to the worship team, school council and eco committee. As pupils move into Year 4, they can become play leaders or a house captain. Pupils are proud to take on these roles. They talk confidently about the difference they make to school life. Pupils also benefit from trips and visits linked to what they learn in the curriculum.

What the school should improve

• Although leaders have high expectations of pupils' conduct, staff across classes do not always insist these are met. As a result, a small minority of pupils find it difficult to manage their behaviour and sometimes cause disruption to learning. Leaders should ensure that staff apply the school's behaviour policy consistently.
• Teachers' use of assessment in subjects in the wider curriculum is not as well developed as it is in the core subjects. Therefore, teachers do not always know how successfully pupils are progressing through the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that assessment is regular and deliberate across all subjects.

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