AN OFSTED inspection of a primary school in Milnthorpe said that pupils were 'very happy' although staff should receive more 'up-to-date training.' 

Storth CofE School was inspected on 12 July and has just received its latest OFSTED report. The school had not been inspected since 2017 because it had received a good rating and schools that are ranked good or outstanding are inspected around every four years. 

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With this latest inspection, Storth CofE School maintained its good rating. The OFSTED report said: "Pupils are very happy at this school. Staff warmly welcome them into school each day.  Pupils arrive excited and ready to learn.

"Pupils conduct themselves well. They say that bullying rarely happens. If such behaviour was to happen, pupils trust adults to deal with it quickly and to ensure that it does happen again." 

The report praised the 'broad and ambitious' curriculum that the school had set out. Yet it did say this: "In most subjects, teachers have the knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum well. However, in some subjects, leaders have not ensured that staff have up-to-date training to deliver the curriculum as effectively as they should.

"The teachers have carefully considered the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn. In a small number of subjects, leaders have not made it clear when pupils should acquire this knowledge. This means that in these subjects, pupils do not progress as well through the curriculum." 

However, the report did say that overall all pupils, including pupils with Special Education Needs (SEND) are supported to learn the full curriculum. Additional needs are identified by teachers and acted upon quickly.

The report said that the school has prioritised reading from early years to Year 6. It said that the pupils' phonic knowledge had reached the point needed to become 'confident and fluent readers.' 

It also praised the number of opportunities given by the school to learn beyond the academic curriculum. There is a pupil parliament, and they experience an annual trip to London and the Houses of Parliament. The students also write articles for the village newsletter.