Appleshaw St Peter’s C of E Primary School, located in Hampshire, has been recognized as a good school following its inspection on 18 October 2022. The school demonstrates high expectations across a wide range of subjects, ensuring that pupils acquire the necessary knowledge to prepare them for secondary education. In the early years, children quickly adapt to school life and develop strong relationships with their peers. Pupils exhibit enthusiasm for their learning and are eager to meet the challenges presented to them. However, there are concerns regarding the reading progress of some younger pupils, who do not learn to read as quickly as expected.
Pupils take pride in their school and actively participate in its operations, taking on various leadership roles. They serve as library assistants to foster a love for reading among younger students and act as digital leaders to promote online safety awareness. The school environment is described as happy and safe, with positive relationships among pupils and staff. During playtimes, pupils behave well and show genuine care for one another, with older students making efforts to include younger ones in their games. Politeness and courtesy are evident as pupils interact with each other and with adults throughout the school. In instances of bullying, staff respond promptly to resolve issues.
The school excels in providing a well-structured curriculum, with subject leaders supporting teachers in delivering engaging lessons. Leaders offer valuable training to ensure that teachers can manage their workloads effectively. Adaptations are made in lessons to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, enabling them to build essential knowledge and skills. However, the implementation of the curriculum lacks consistency in some areas, as subject leaders have not sufficiently monitored adherence to the school’s teaching approach.
Pupils generally acquire strong knowledge across most subjects, with early years children benefiting from rich opportunities to reflect on their learning. This practice continues as pupils revisit previously learned material throughout their education. In subjects like mathematics, teachers effectively assess pupils’ understanding, allowing them to address any misconceptions. However, this level of assessment is not yet fully established in all subjects, leading to some teachers lacking clarity on the specific areas where pupils may struggle.
Most pupils become confident and fluent readers by the time they leave the school. Early years children engage well in phonics lessons, learning to recognize sounds and write them. Younger pupils develop their word recognition skills effectively, reading books that enhance their reading abilities. Support is provided for pupils with special educational needs who face challenges in reading through tailored interventions. Nonetheless, the approach to teaching reading is not consistently applied across the school, resulting in some pupils not receiving adequate support to catch up quickly.
Pupils’ behavior in class is generally positive, although some younger pupils may occasionally become distracted. Adults are attentive and help redirect them to their tasks. As pupils progress to key stage two, they become more aware of the importance of focus in lessons, contributing to their overall learning success. Positive relationships among children in the early years foster a supportive culture throughout the school.
Leaders encourage pupil involvement in school life, offering a variety of extracurricular opportunities. Clubs such as football and judo are popular, and efforts are made to ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs can participate. Some pupils take on roles as vocal ambassadors, promoting singing among their peers. The school has received recognition for its commitment to sports through the Association for Physical Education Quality Mark.
The school’s safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff receiving training to identify pupils at risk of harm. Established systems ensure that staff know how to raise concerns, and leaders act swiftly to address these issues, collaborating with external agencies to support pupils and families. Pupils learn about safety, including online safety, and develop a strong understanding of personal safety, contributing to a culture of safeguarding within the school.
To improve, the school needs to address the reading progress of younger pupils, ensuring a consistent approach to reading instruction. Additionally, some pupils are not making the expected progress in certain subjects due to a lack of clarity among teachers regarding the curriculum delivery and assessment. Subject leaders must closely monitor the implementation of the curriculum to ensure consistency across the school.
