Knightlow CofE Primary School

Knightlow CofE Primary School Hill Crescent, Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Rugby, CV23 9NF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Children in the Reception Year enjoy learning through play and in teacher-led sessions, and they make excellent progress.  Standards at the end of each key stage have been rising steadily and are well above average by the end of Year 6.  All pupils achieve exceptionally well, including the more able, but more able pupils have not been entered into national tests at the very high levels which their work merits.  Teaching promotes outstanding learning and progress. Teachers encourage pupils to be independent learners and not to be dependent on adults for help.  Teaching assistants are skilled and support teachers very well, although their skills are not always fully utilised. They manage the behaviour of vulnerable pupils exceptionally well.  Behaviour in lessons and at other times is excellent. Pupils feel very safe at school. They are courteous and proud of their school and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

their achievements.  School leaders, including governors, have done an excellent job in improving the school. Even through significant recent staff change, they have ensured that the quality of teaching and learning, and standards, have continued to rise and pupils’ excellent achievement sustained.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 12 lessons taught by nine teachers and they saw small-group sessions aimed to boost the progress of different groups of pupils.  Joint lesson observations were carried out with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher.  Inspectors heard pupils read and scrutinised their work in books and on display in classrooms and around the school.  Meetings were held with five members of the governing body, senior leaders, staff and pupils. Inspectors also met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation including improvement plans and self- evaluation, as well as assessment data from the monitoring of pupils’ progress. Documents detailing the school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils were scrutinised.  The responses of 54 parents and carers to the online questionnaire (Parent View) were considered as well as outcomes of the school’s own questionnaires.

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Information about this inspection

 Questionnaire responses from 16 members of staff were taken into account.

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Inspection team

David Speakman, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Kim Bower Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is similar in size to most other primary schools.  Most pupils are White British, with a small number coming from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is very low. Very few pupils are at the early stages of learning English.  A well below-average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is similar to most schools, as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  In the last school year, two newly qualified teachers, a Key Stage 1 leader and a part-time

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Information about this school

teacher have joined the staff. In the previous year, another newly qualified teacher joined the school and a teacher returned, part-time, from maternity leave.  There is a breakfast club and an after school club that are not managed by the governing body and so did not form part of this inspection.  Knightlow Children’s Partnership provides nursery education on site. It is run independently of the school and is inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enter the most able pupils into the Key Stage 2 national tests at the very high levels of which they are capable so that they can demonstrate their full potential.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers use fully the skills of the teaching assistants throughout lessons by:  allocating tasks to teaching assistants during teachers’ introductions to and in the summing up of lessons  developing further their skills to accurately assess children’s achievements in the Reception Year.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children join Reception with skills, knowledge and understanding typical of children of this age. They make excellent progress, especially in developing independent learning skills. By the time they move into Year 1, attainment is above the national average in all areas of learning.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 At Key Stage 1, pupils continue to achieve very well. Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been steadily rising and pupils are about a year ahead of national expectations for their ages. All groups of pupils make excellent progress. Almost all lower attaining pupils and disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve the nationally expected level, showing their excellent progress. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level far exceeds the national percentage. In mathematics, a very small number of pupils actually achieved in Year 2 the nationally expected level for the end of Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 There is a similar profile at Key Stage 2. Attainment in English and mathematics has been steadily rising since 2009 and is now very high when compared to the national average. All groups of pupils, including those identified as disabled or who have special educational needs and those at the early stages of learning English, achieve exceptionally well. Almost all achieve the nationally expected level for this age and the large majority attains the higher level. Well- focused use of the pupil premium ensures that pupils, for whom the school attracts this extra funding, become confident learners, develop self-esteem, achieve as well as other pupils and close the attainment gap.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The small minority of pupils identified as gifted make better progress than that shown by test results. Because they start Key Stage 2 at the higher level, achievement shown by test results has been limited as these do not do justice to the actual levels reached. These pupils’ classwork shows exceptionally high attainment and excellent achievement but that has not been reflected in national test scores because pupils have not in the past been entered for the very high levels which they are capable of attaining. The school recognises this and is now providing opportunities for these pupils to take tests at levels in English and mathematics well above those nationally expected for this age.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils have highly developed learning skills. From a very early age in Reception, children learn to be independent so they are not reliant on the support of an adult. Pupils in Year 1 have already acquired these good skills. In their letter writing, they work out spellings for themselves using prompt cards and other independent learning skills. This develops further as pupils move through the school and, by the time they reach Year 6, they show excellent levels of independent learning.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching is outstanding because it promotes excellent progress and very high standards. The very large majority of teaching seen during the inspection was good or outstanding.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching in Reception is often outstanding. There is a good balance between teacher-led activities, focused mainly on core skills in literacy and numeracy, and learning through play. Learning opportunities in the outdoor area reflect those provided indoors and provide for all areas of learning. There is a wide range of activities to stimulate children’s curiosity, to promote their personal development and to develop independence. Adults are skilled at providing children with opportunities to practise the core skills they have learned during learning-through-play sessions. Children are encouraged to make choices and to be independent learners from a very early stage. Learning is continuously assessed, mainly by the teacher. Teaching assistants have the skills to assess children’s progress, but these have not been updated to match the new Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. Reception provides a secure foundation on which children

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do are high. The level of challenge at all levels of attainment is high. Next steps in learning are matched well to previous learning and move pupils on at a quick pace. High levels of challenge are evident from pupils’ workbooks, where it is clear that they make excellent progress over time. Marking promotes pupils’ self-esteem, indicates what is done well but also sets challenging targets to help pupils to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching assistants are skilled and work in close partnership with teachers. They show initiative in helping pupils, particularly vulnerable ones, with managing behaviour. This means that teachers are able to carry on teaching and lessons proceed without disruption. In a few lessons, their skills are not fully utilised by teachers, particularly the introductions to lessons or when summing up.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. The very large majority of parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire believe behaviour is good.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children in Reception behave exceptionally well. They concentrate fully in adult-led activities and cooperate with adults so that learning is uninterrupted. In the outside area, children play exceptionally well together and learn very effectively through play.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils show highly positive attitudes to learning. They fully engage with the school’s initiative to develop pupils as independent learners with the skills to overcome difficulties for themselves. As a result, they show independence in their approach to learning, confidence in finding things out for themselves and high levels of cooperation when working collaboratively.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils show high levels of consideration and concern for each other. Even when minor accidents happen at break times, pupils are spontaneous in showing concern and in trying to make sure that situations do not occur a second time. They are proud of their achievements and enthusiastically share their work with adults and with the rest of the group.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are very safe in school. If any worrying situations arise, they know who to approach for help and they are confident that effective action is taken to resolve issues. They are fully aware of different forms bullying can take and are not aware of any instances having taken place in school. This is confirmed by the school’s records.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. It is fully promoted through the curriculum and through the very strong promotion of care, respect and equality of opportunity for all to succeed. Pupils of different ethnic backgrounds or at different levels of capability work and play harmoniously, showing full acceptance of diversity. Pupils have the spirit of enquiry, showing curiosity in the way they find things out for themselves. Their spiritual awareness is evident in many areas of school life. Many pieces of work displayed are highly reflective. For example, their ‘Reverence Poems’ outline what highly valued experiences and ideas they would place in their reverence boxes. These include ideas such as ‘the love of my family’, ‘a twinkling star in a winter midnight sky’ and ‘the smell of a freshly baked muffin’.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Senior leaders have very high ambitions for the work of the school. Teamwork is very strong, as shown in the inspection questionnaire completed by staff. This reflects excellent leadership when set against the high level of staff turnover. Senior leaders’ monitoring of teaching and learning is rigorous. Any areas of concern are identified, support action provided and concerns followed up. This has had the effect of sustaining the high quality of teaching through a period of staff change. It shows that the management of teaching is exceptionally effective.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Individual pupils’ progress is carefully monitored and, each term, class teachers are held to account for the progress of their pupils. Appropriate support is planned where pupils are deemed to be making less progress than targeted. Performance management is closely linked to this process. Governors set challenging targets for the headteacher, who in turn has high expectations of her staff. It has been made clear to staff that progression through the promotion ladder depends upon results.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The development plan is securely based on robust self-evaluation. It is detailed. It focuses on pupils’ achievement and on making sure that high standards are maintained. The criteria by which the effectiveness of the plan can be measured are clear and set against challenging targets and time-scales.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority assesses the school as one not in need of external support. Consequently, their support has been minimal but they do maintain a monitoring role to make sure high quality is sustained.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  is highly effective in holding school leaders and staff to account for the school’s performance through well-informed questioning and challenge  has a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and in which areas it could improve, based on rigorous first-hand monitoring  is fully involved in strategic planning to ensure school improvement  ensures that all statutory duties are met, including that pupils and adults are properly safeguarded.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 130910 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 403617

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 201 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Graham Robinson Headteacher Jill Vavasour Date of previous school inspection 15 April 2008 Telephone number 024 76543751 Fax number 02476 545801 Email address admin3590@we-learn.com guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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