Camblesforth Community Primary Academy rated good by Ofsted

Camblesforth Community Primary Academy, which has 96 pupils on roll, was inspected at the end of November last year and rated good overall.

When it was inspected last time, four years ago, the school was graded as ‘requires improvement’.

“Pupils are rightly proud of their school and all the wonderful things they know and can do,” says the report. Camblesforth is a: “welcoming and inclusive small school. Pupils feel safe and happy here.”

Head teacher Dave Card said: “We are all delighted with such a positive report. We feel it accurately reflects the commitment to our learning and to our community every day by children, staff, parents, carers and governors. It is a privilege to be headteacher of a school where everyone cares for each other, the quality of education is high and happiness abounds.”

In the report, leadership and management is declared as good, as is behaviour and attitudes, personal development and quality of education.

Early years provision is ‘outstanding’, where children get off to a “strong start” according to the inspectors: “Teaching is sharply focused on developing children’s communication and language.

“Adults skilfully model effective speaking and listening skills. They react positively with children. As a result, children quickly learn to develop positive relationships with their friends.

“Children are exceptionally well prepared for their next phase of learning.”

The report describes how the school provides a varied set of personal development experiences for pupils. This includes making sure pupils attend educational visits and residentials trips.

Pupils talk proudly of their leadership roles as restorative ambassadors, student councillors and members of the trust parliament.

They show an excellent understanding of democracy. Pupils relish these roles, and they take them seriously. There are plentiful opportunities for pupils to develop interests in sports and music. During the inspection, the report says pupils were joyfully singing in the choir. Participation in extra-curricular activities is high.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Inspectors said that one parent spoke for many when they described the school as ‘a small school with a big heart, where children learn and flourish.’

Inspectors also said that in a minority of foundation subjects, the curriculum is not fully developed.

In these subjects, the content does not precisely build on pupils prior knowledge and this needs to be improved.

Gail Brown, chief executive of Ebor Academy Trust, which runs the school, said: “This is an excellent, well-deserved report and many congratulations to Mr Card and the staff.

“The Camblesforth community is rightly proud of its school and the great work that goes on there.

“It is heartening that school inspectors picked up just what a wonderful school this is.”

Ebor Academy Trust comprises 23 schools in York, Selby, Hull and East Riding and on the Yorkshire coast.