Corvedale CofE Primary School

Corvedale CofE Primary School Diddlebury, Craven Arms, SY7 9DH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Most pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. From starting points below typical levels, they reach standards in line with those found nationally.  Teaching is good. Teachers check carefully what pupils already know and plan interesting activities to support their learning well.  Teachers’ feedback and marking generally help pupils know how to improve their work, particularly in writing.  Pupils work hard in lessons and enjoy their learning. They concentrate well and their behaviour is good in lessons and around school.  Pupils say that they feel safe, and they are very proud of their school.  The headteacher has successfully led a drive for improvement in school which is shared by all staff and governors.  Governors hold the school to account for the progress of all pupils by checking its work carefully and often.  Leaders make sure that pupils are prepared for

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

adult life and have great respect for people of all backgrounds.  The very small year groups mean that staff know their pupils extremely well.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Marking and feedback in mathematics are not as good as in writing. Pupils do not have clear enough guidance to help them improve their work quickly.  Although pupils use their mathematical skills well to solve simple problems, they are not so confident in applying them to more complex problems.  Pupils’ spelling is not yet as good as other aspects of their work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in all classes in eight lessons, and was joined by the headteacher for three of these.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, staff, pupils, parents, governors and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector listened to pupils read and looked at the work in their books.  School documents were examined including the school’s own evaluation of its work, its plan for improvement, information about pupils’ progress, records of governors’ meetings, and documents about safeguarding and attendance.  Account was taken of 22 responses to the online survey, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Lynne Bradbury, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is lower than average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium (funding allocated by the government to help those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority) is lower than average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make more teaching outstanding to raise achievement further by:  improving marking in mathematics so that it matches the quality found in writing and pupils have a better understanding of how to improve their work  making sure pupils are able to use their mathematical skills to solve more complex problems  improving the teaching of spelling.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most pupils, including the most able pupils, make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The number of pupils in each year groups varies greatly, as does the level of skills and abilities of children entering the Reception class. This year, the children started school with skills and abilities that were typical for their age. Pupils have made good progress and most are already at levels a little above those expected nationally, particularly in their understanding and use of phonics (letters and the sounds they make).

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils generally enter Year 1 at levels in line with those found nationally. In 2013, pupils achieved above-average levels in the phonics screening check and this has helped them to make good progress in reading and writing. The good achievement in phonics is improving further, and pupils are very confident in using this approach to work out new words when reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most pupils in Year 2 in 2013 achieved standards in line with those expected nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. This represented good progress from lower starting points.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils develop a love of reading very early in their school life. The youngest pupils are very enthusiastic about their reading and enjoy explaining what they have been reading about. They make rapid progress based upon their early achievement in phonics. Most pupils in all year groups read with great confidence and fluency.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils develop basic skills in mathematics confidently and apply these in routine or real-life practical contexts. They do not yet have enough opportunities to develop their skills further by applying them in non-routine, more complex situations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Writing has developed quickly. From a very early stage, pupils now write with great confidence for a wide range of purposes and across all subjects. This is greatly improved since the last inspection, though spelling for older pupils has developed less quickly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There were too few pupils in Year 6 in 2013 to make reliable judgements about attainment compared with pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Across all year groups, the school’s assessment information and work in books show that most pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and most aspects of mathematics, and some are making outstanding progress in writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The numbers of pupils with special educational needs and those eligible for the pupil premium funding are very small across the school, and it is not appropriate to compare their attainment with others in the school or nationally. These pupils are well supported and are generally making progress in line with their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupil premium funding is used effectively to speed up learning for those who are eligible, through one-to-one tuition or small group work led by teachers and teaching assistants. The extra funding from the government for primary school sport has meant that pupils have been able to take part in a wider range of sports activities, and this is contributing well to their attitudes to fitness and well-being.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved rapidly since the last inspection and is now consistently good. Evidence from pupils’ books and in lessons during the inspection, along with information about pupils’ progress and performance over time, shows that better teaching is making an important contribution to raising pupils’ achievement.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the Reception class is good in all areas of learning, and particularly good in phonics. Children enjoy a wide range of exciting activities alongside developing basic skills in handwriting and mathematics, and apply these routinely in other subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Writing skills develop quickly because teachers and teaching assistants across the age range insist that their basic skills are used carefully to write for a wide range of purposes. Teachers are working hard to develop more accurate spelling as the pupils move through the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers generally make careful and accurate checks of what pupils have already learned so that they can plan activities which stretch them and move their learning forward.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils know their targets and use ‘statements of success’ in writing and mathematics to check their own progress and then discuss this with staff. Teachers’ high quality marking of work and feedback during lessons gives pupils a clear idea of how to improve their learning in writing. This is not yet as well developed in mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan exciting opportunities for pupils to make good progress in their reading. For example, older pupils act as ‘reading buddies’ to younger pupils. They greatly enjoy sharing stories together each week and exploring the meaning of words.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make sure that the wide range of exciting topics give plenty of opportunities for pupils to use their basic skills. For example, in a topic on chocolate, pupils read to find information, wrote about their learning, and used number skills to work out costs. Teachers do not, however, provide enough opportunities to use these mathematical skills to solve problems in non-routine situations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to learning, particularly through their skilled help and support for any pupils who are at risk of falling behind in their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All staff create a positive atmosphere for learning by using rewards, praise and sanctions that pupils understand.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Their positive attitudes help them to make good progress. They concentrate on their work, persevere when they find difficulties, and do their best in all lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils trust staff because relationships between staff and pupils and among pupils are good. They are polite and show respect for adults and their classmates. They understand that some pupils need greater support, and they are eager to help.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Disruption to lessons is very rare because pupils are highly motivated to make progress and the reward systems celebrate such attitudes. They move about the school and play in the yard sensibly with care and consideration for others.  Pupils are proud of their school and of their achievements. They greatly enjoy the range of exciting learning activities and the sports and clubs outside lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements, and staff and pupils follow school policies consistently well to ensure everyone’s safety.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and understand the different forms that bullying can take, including those which involve mobile phones and the internet. They say that bullying rarely happens and the staff would deal with it quickly if it did.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Staff, pupils and those parents who met with the inspector said that behaviour is good.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is above average and the school uses high-quality procedures to support any pupil who has difficulties in this area.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the last inspection the headteacher has been determined to raise standards. Staff and pupils have been inspired to work with her and there has been good improvement in the work of the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 All leaders and governors are committed to continuous improvement. Rigorous systems for checking the success of teaching against the progress of pupils give them a clear understanding of areas which need to be improved.

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The leadership and management are good

 Results from checks on pupils’ progress are used to set ambitious targets and to make judgements about staff performance and decisions about pay increases and career progression.

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The leadership and management are good

 There are extensive opportunities for staff to work with teachers from other schools and to have training to constantly improve their skills and their understanding of the levels pupils achieve.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils are very enthusiastic about the wide range of subjects and topics they study. Children in the Reception Year and Year 1 had been well prepared for a visit to a garden centre so that they could see how this linked with the learning in the classroom. Older pupils enjoyed developing their basic skills through a topic on the Second World War.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is given a high priority through all aspects of the work of the school. Pupils reflect on decisions they make and learn about the lives of other groups of people within and beyond Britain. Pupils enjoy learning through their links with schools in Guinea and Indonesia.

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The leadership and management are good

 A high proportion of pupils travel to school on the school bus following the amalgamation of several schools some years ago. Leaders make many opportunities available to welcome parents to share in the school’s work who would not otherwise come to the school. Those parents who met with the inspector greatly value this.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has made good use of high-quality support from the local authority to support raising achievement across the school so that children make faster progress.  The governance of the school:  Governors bring a wide range of skills to their roles. They meet with leaders and visit classrooms to gain a good understanding of the school’s performance and practices. They have undertaken high-quality training to become skilled in using rigorous checking systems to hold the school to account for the quality of its work. The governing body is highly committed to ensuring the best for every pupil, and sets ambitious targets for staff. Judgements about the success of the school, including its management of staff performance through appraisal, are based upon pupils’ achievement. Governors use these judgements to make decisions about staff pay increases and career progression. They support and challenge the

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The leadership and management are good

headteacher, and help to identify the priority areas to improve, linking this to action planning and budget areas. They measure their success accurately and their work has been effective in improving achievement. Finances are well managed, including the use of pupil premium funding, and the governing body ensures that safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements.

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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 123559 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 442573

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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 75 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Frank Bury Headteacher Chris Ball Date of previous school inspection 14 November 2012 Telephone number 01584 841630 Fax number 01584 841598 Email address head@corvedale.shropshire.sch.uk 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 and 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

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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