Since your appointment as headteacher in November 2015, you have taken wellconsidered steps to develop the school as a vibrant hub of the community. Together with staff, governors and pupils, you have defined the core values of the school: hope, creativity, responsibility, friendship, courage and wisdom. These values are considered deeply by pupils, are prominently displayed in classrooms and are a focus for worship. Pupils take their responsibilities to uphold the values seriously; older pupils nurture younger ones and actively find ways to help improve the school and the local community. The school council’s involvement in promoting road safety in the village is an indication of pupils’ consideration and resourcefulness. Individual differences are valued in this inclusive community in which everyone’s talents are celebrated: I saw budding guitarists proudly giving an outdoor performance for pupils arriving at school on the chilly morning of the inspection and willing volunteers providing reflective prayers during assembly. A key strength of the school is the candour of leaders’ self-evaluation and its direct link to a manageable improvement plan whose priorities staff and governors have agreed. There is a strong sense of teamwork and a shared determination that Allithwaite should equip pupils as thoughtful and capable young citizens. Since the previous inspection, you have opened a nursery. This gives children a good start to their education. They are immersed a wide range of well-designed activities. You recognise that more could be done to develop children’s experience of learning outdoors and have ambitious plans to improve the school grounds to this end. You have adapted the curriculum to meet more-challenging national expectations, while ensuring that school is a place that pupils continue to enjoy. Pupils’ attainment at key stages 1 and 2 was above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics in 2016, with most pupils making good progress from their starting points. Last year, the proportion of pupils achieving the national expectation in the phonics screening test at the end of Year 1 was untypically low for the school. You have analysed the reasons behind this apparent decline and taken steps to ensure that the teaching of phonics is consistently good and that it provides pupils with a secure foundation for their early reading and writing skills. At the last inspection, leaders were asked to improve the quality of mathematics teaching so that pupils could solve problems more rapidly. You have appointed a knowledgeable and enthusiastic mathematics leader, who is supporting teachers to develop pupils’ reasoning skills. We agreed that, while teachers are using a helpful, consistent approach to teaching mathematics, there are times when activities could be adapted more quickly to meet the needs of individual pupils so that all are challenged at the appropriate level. You have developed an interesting curriculum supplemented by a wide range of clubs. Pupils speak highly of their residential experiences. Photographic displays around the school capture the richness of life as an Allithwaite ‘owl’, while pupils’ written work is lively and engaging, in response to interesting stimuli. Science teaching is being developed to include a greater focus on investigative skills. We agreed that pupils’ use of terminology needs further development to help them explain their ideas. Attendance declined a little in 2016 and continues to be below the national average. Your analysis indicates that there are valid reasons for most absences. A recent bout of chicken pox affected attendance for some pupils. You continue to work with families and try to dissuade them from taking term-time holidays. Safeguarding is effective. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. The school’s safeguarding policy is updated regularly and provides essential information with which all staff are familiar. It is applied consistently and clear records are kept in relation to child protection and pupils’ safety. Staff are trained to be vigilant; they are aware of risks that pupils might face, including when they are online. Staff take effective steps to educate pupils to stay safe. They know pupils well as individuals and are alert to any changes in their behaviour. Pupils and their parents expressed confidence in the school’s pastoral work. All necessary checks are carried out to confirm the suitability of adults to work with children. The school site is safe and is maintained very well.