Exbourne Church of England Primary School

Strengths

• Highly inclusive school where disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND thrive.
• Leaders and staff are highly ambitious for all pupils.
• Trust SEND expertise and individualised support plans help remove barriers to learning.
• Disadvantaged pupils receive strong academic and wellbeing support and achieve as well as their peers.
• Pupils achieve well and are ready for the next stage of education.
• Reading and phonics are particular strengths, with all pupils consistently passing the Year 1 phonics screening check.
• Pupils attend well, with rates in line with or above national averages.
• Pupils behave well and show politeness and kindness; serious behaviour incidents are rare.
• Classrooms are generally calm and purposeful, with respectful staff-pupil relationships.
• The curriculum is broad, rich in knowledge, and supported by recent improvements.
• Teaching in reading, writing and mathematics is precise and effective.
• Teaching is adapted well so pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils learn the same curriculum as peers.
• School and trust leaders have an accurate view of strengths and areas for development.
• Trustees have detailed understanding of the school and are committed to high standards.
• Staff feel supported and value professional development and consideration of workload and wellbeing.
• Parents are highly supportive and value the close relationships staff have with pupils.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of cultural visits, clubs, residentials and leadership roles.
• Pupils are well prepared for transition to secondary school and life in modern Britain.
• Safeguarding standards are met, and pupils feel safe and well cared for.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not remember key knowledge they have been taught.
• Pupils sometimes cannot clearly communicate what they have learned or link learning across subjects.
• The wider curriculum has not precisely identified the key knowledge pupils should know and remember.
• Teachers sometimes cannot help pupils link new knowledge to previous learning.
• Some wider-curriculum activities are not well matched to support independence and achievement.
• Activities in the wider curriculum do not consistently provide sufficient challenge or develop resilience.
• Opportunities for pupils to build resilience and independence through meaningful roles across school are limited.
• Curriculum design for personal development and wellbeing needs strengthening to support recall and connections.
• Pupils need more opportunities to make decisions about their learning and take on meaningful responsibilities.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools