Pupils are happy and feel safe at this small village school. They like the fact that they know everyone. Staff model the respect and kindness they expect pupils to show. Pupils get on well together and look after each other. They appreciate that staff want them to do well. One parent echoed others’ views by saying, ‘This is a fantastic little school which has the children’s well-being at its heart and supports them to achieve their true potential.’ The school is calm and orderly. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning. Pupils behave well and work hard. They apologise quickly when they do something wrong. Bullying is rare. Staff sort things out swiftly and fairly if pupils fall out with each other. New pupils make friends quickly. Everyone is welcomed and valued. Attendance is high. Pupils love learning outdoors. They like practising their bushcraft skills and say this is good for their mental health. Staff encourage pupils to develop a sense of ‘awe and wonder’ through the many trips and visits they enjoy. As one pupil explained, ‘The school has lots of opportunities and there is always something fun to do around the corner.’ What does the school do well and what does it need to do better? Children in the Nursery and Reception Years experience a curriculum that is carefully thought out. Well-established routines support children’s personal, social and emotional development. They enjoy listening to stories, learning rhymes and singing songs. These activities help children to develop their language and communication skills. Relationships between children and staff are positive. Children are well prepared for key stage 1. Leaders have introduced a new way of teaching phonics. Staff make effective use of their training to get children in the Reception Year off to a prompt start. They ensure that pupils have a secure knowledge of the sounds they are learning and can use them accurately. Staff provide swift intervention when pupils need extra help. Most pupils who receive this support catch up quickly. Pupils read suitable books that match the sounds they know and are at the appropriate level of challenge for them. Teachers encourage pupils’ love of reading by choosing books from different genres and eras to read to the class. Pupils are keen to join in. In the Wise Owls class, pupils enthusiastically repeated ‘Who’s that trip-trapping over my bridge?’ in the story, ‘The Troll’. Pupils like predicting what might happen next. The well-stocked library contains a good range of books for pupils to choose from. All pupils read regularly and most enjoy doing so. The mathematics curriculum follows a logical order. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They present lessons to mixed-aged classes well. Pupils at different stages of learning deepen their understanding. Pupils find daily ‘flashbacks’ at the start of each lesson useful to see if they can remember the important knowledge that they have previously been taught. Teachers ensure pupils get the right level of support and challenge. They check pupils’ work closely to make sure that it is accurate and to correct any errors. However, some pupils do not use guidance from teachers consistently well to improve their work. Leaders have revised the school curriculum in other subjects. They have identified what they want pupils to learn and remember at each stage. However, the planned curriculum in each subject does not always build on what pupils have learned previously. In history, for example, it is not clear how the curriculum develops an understanding of the idea of monarchy. Leaders use effective systems to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff provide these pupils with close support so that they can access the full curriculum. There is a strong focus on pupils’ wider development. Leaders enhance the curriculum with relevant visits and experiences. Pupils enjoy outings to London and trips to local places of worship. Year 6 pupils can take part in a residential visit to Norfolk. Many pupils learn to play the clarinet. Pupils are involved with a local community gardening project. They learn how to look after their physical and mental health, and about the importance of being tolerant of others. The curriculum provides pupils with age-appropriate information regarding relationships, sex and health education. Staff enjoy working at the school. They feel leaders treat them with respect and are mindful of their workload. Governors are well informed about leaders’ work to improve the school. They provide leaders with close support and take decisive action to ensure that the school continues to be successful.