The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and are alert to those areas that require further development. Leaders make skilful use of information about pupils’ learning to implement strategies that will accelerate their achievement. Recent developments have successfully improved outcomes in reading and mathematics. You are now rightly turning your attention to writing, where pupils’ progress has slowed. Teachers offer a curriculum that broadens pupils’ horizons but also makes use of the richness of the school’s locality. Recently, for example, pupils wrote persuasively to a local farmer about battery farming. Their letters resulted in the opportunity to ‘rescue’ two chickens, who now roam freely during the school day. The school enriches pupils’ learning with a wide range of visits to support topics, and many after-school activities. Clubs are very well attended and encourage all pupils to develop their talents. Pupils are proud to belong to the school and play an active role in its smooth running. A representative school council makes decisions that benefit others, such as the new ‘reading shed’ that will open during breaktimes. Year 5 pupils tend the allotment, and they join Year 6 in having opportunities to act as peer mentors for younger pupils. Pupils say that because ‘everybody knows everybody’ it means that incidents are ‘very, very rare’. Positive attitudes help to ensure that attendance is better than in other schools nationally. More than half of the parents responded to Ofsted’s survey, Parent View. Almost all responses are highly supportive. Many parents commented on your welcoming presence at the gate at the beginning and end of each day, which helps the school to have close links with families. Parents praise how well all staff show care for their children’s well-being. Parents value the way in which their children develop socially, emotionally and academically. One parent was typical of many in stating, ‘the ethos of the school ensures that every child reaches their true potential both through and beyond the curriculum,’ adding the view that, ‘the school continues to improve immeasurably’. Pupils understand that making a mistake in their work is an opportunity to learn something new. They enjoy talking about their learning by testing out new ideas and finding solutions. Right from children’s start in Reception, teachers encourage them to give a reason when answering a question. Pupils are also learning to be independent. In Year 4, pupils sensibly self-check their calculations for accuracy. They readily seek help when they are stuck and move on to greater challenge when work becomes too easy. Teachers offer same-day support to pupils who are stuck in their learning. Extra teaching is purposeful and helps pupils to overcome barriers to their learning, especially in reading and mathematics. All of the staff feel the school has improved since the last inspection. Staff are encouraged to be innovative in ways that are right for pupils. Teachers appreciate their professional training, such as developing skills to improve pupils’ interest and confidence in mathematics. Many pupils told me that this is now their favourite subject. Governors support and challenge you because they have high ambitions for pupils. They are increasingly able to hold leaders to account for ongoing improvements. They know how to use different sources of information to ask questions and evaluate the school’s progress. Almost all pupils enter the school with skills that are at, or just below, those typical for their age. They make rapid progress across the different areas of learning so that, by the end of Reception, a high proportion achieve a good level of development. Effective teaching in phonics has ensured that pupils achieve well, which supports them to make strong progress in reading by the end of Year 6. Progress in mathematics is in line with other schools nationally. In recent years, progress in writing has dipped, and is below average. Evidence seen during the inspection supports leaders’ analysis that current pupils make good progress in reading and mathematics. Pupils’ writing development presents a more varied picture, and the drive for progress is less evident. Writing skills are not consistently developed and practised. Work is not well matched to the abilities of all pupils. Safeguarding is effective.