Stoney Middleton CofE (C) Primary School, Hope Valley

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from highly personalised learning in a small school setting for most of the week. Then, on 'together days', they socialise and collaborate with a much wider range of staff and pupils from across The Woodland Federation of Peak District Schools.

The inclusive, nurturing culture at Stoney Middleton makes pupils feel safe and welcome. They describe their school as being caring and understanding. Pupils say, 'The staff get us, and they know what we need.'

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff teach phonics well. They explain to pupils why some words are not as easy to sound out. They model what fluent reading should sound like. Pupils try to emulate them by reading as expressively as they can. Staff check closely on pupils' progress in phonics lessons. They address any gaps in pupils' phonics knowledge straight away. Pupils in the early stages of learning to read take home books that contain the letter sounds they recognise. Pupils enjoy listening to staff read to them at the end of each day. Older pupils fondly recall the diverse range of stories they have read as a class.

In nearly all subjects, there is a clear order of learning. Pupils build their knowledge and skills in these subjects step by step. They can recall their learning in these subjects securely. They are knowledgeable about what they are learning now and what they have learned previously. However, in a small number of foundation subjects, the curriculum sequence is not as exact. The school has not precisely identified what it wants pupils to know in these foundation subjects. Consequently, pupils' understanding is not as deep. They remember the activities that they have completed, rather than the underpinning knowledge they need to use again.

Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.

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