The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You were appointed as headteacher in September 2018. Both you and the teachers are all new to post since the previous inspection. You have worked hard to gain the trust of the pupils, parents and carers, ensuring that this small rural school continues to serve the local community well. Your evaluation of the school’s effectiveness is honest. You have identified many of the school’s strengths and where developments are needed. Pupil numbers are very low compared to other schools, therefore published data does not always reflect the progress that pupils make. However, pupils who attend the school continue to do well. Attendance rates remain well above the national average. The vast majority of children who leave the early years typically achieve a good level of development. For several years, pupils have achieved well in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Parents speak highly of the school. Those that I spoke to at the start of the day and those who responded to the Ofsted surveys said that you and the teachers were approachable and supportive. Parents and pupils appreciate that you greet them at the gate each morning. Parents said that pupils behave well and are safe in your care. All of the parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, said that they would recommend the school. One view, typical of many, was: ‘I feel respected and valued as a parent and appreciate how friendly and caring the staff are at Ireby’. Pupils said that they enjoy attending school. They said that they all know each other really well and that name-calling or bullying did not happen. Pupils were able to confidently discuss their work and some of their favourite subjects. Pupils appreciate the wide range of clubs that are offered after school. They have a secure understanding of how to stay safe while away from school and while using the internet. Pupils take on responsibilities as positive citizens; for example, they take turns to help clear and clean the dining room tables after lunch. Governors are passionate for the school to be the best that it can be and to remain at the heart of the village. Governors articulate the vision for the school well and they are aware of the strengths and areas that need to be improved further. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities well. At the previous inspection, school leaders were asked to improve the quality of teaching and learning, ensuring that pupils pronounce words accurately in order to improve their spellings. From talking to pupils and viewing samples of their work, I could see that the application of spelling is strong. Pupils that I spoke to in both classes were able to read their work to me clearly and accurately. Inspectors also asked school leaders to provide children in the early years with more opportunities to consolidate their learning. Children in the early years benefit from effective teaching and learning that builds on prior learning well in order to further consolidate their understanding. The classroom and outdoor environment have been well-resourced to cater for the age ranges of the children in the early years and those in key stage 1. Children build upon their taught experiences through their play and exploration. For example, as part of their topic of changing and growing, children investigate the environment best suited for tadpoles to develop. Children confidently discuss what creatures they might find in the soil, and they enjoy planting seeds and discussing what they will need to grow. Opportunities to develop skills in writing and mathematics are evident across the learning environment. Skilled questioning from adults ensures that little learning time is lost. For example, when playing with the sand, children are gently encouraged to discuss and use terms such as ‘heavier than’ and ‘more than’ when making comparisons. Children play well together and share resources in a caring manner. Safeguarding is effective. As the designated leader for safeguarding, you have ensured that this work is given a high priority. There is an effective culture of safeguarding permeating all aspects of the school. Staff have received training in basic awareness of safeguarding as well as ‘Prevent’ duty training, to help them spot signs of potential radicalisation. Members of staff are aware of their responsibilities and remain alert and vigilant in their roles. You and the vice-chair of the governing body are trained in safer recruitment. All checks on the suitability of adults who work in school are thorough. You have strong links with the local police community support officer who keeps the staff and pupils well-informed in how to stay safe.