Kingswood Primary School

Kingswood Primary School Abbey Street, Kingswood, Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire GL12 8RN

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a good school

 The leadership of the new headteacher is inspirational and pivotal to the success of the school.  Staff are highly motivated and share the passion and determination of the headteacher to provide a high-quality ‘all round’ education for pupils.  The quality of teaching is consistently good. This results in pupils making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Relationships between staff and pupils are a strength of the school and are a key driver to the academic and personal development.  The carefully designed curriculum excites, motivates and challenges pupils. It is complemented by a wide range of exciting opportunities which are accessible to all pupils.  The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is threaded effectively throughout the curriculum.  Children in the early years get off to a good start in their learning and achieve well. They are well-

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This is a good school

prepared as they enter Year 1.  Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in their regular attendance which is above the national average.  Pupils’ behaviour outside lessons is at least good and often exemplary. They are considerate and caring; they play happily together. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good.  The work to keep pupils safe is effective. The school fosters a nurturing environment where pupils feel secure and can thrive.  Governance is effective. Governors are highly skilled, know the school well and hold the headteacher to account.  Relationships with parents are strong. The overwhelming majority of parents are delighted with the school. They are pleased with the education their children receive to become successful learners.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, some pupils do not always make the rapid progress of which they are capable, especially the most-able pupils in their mathematics.  Leaders do not always check or evaluate closely enough the impact that improvement initiatives have on pupils’ progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further raise the achievement of pupils so that: – a higher proportion make rapid and sustained progress – the most-able pupils consistently reach the higher levels of achievement, particularly in their mathematics.  Ensure that leaders check and evaluate closely the impact that improvement actions have on pupils’ progress to determine what works well and why.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The recent appointment of the headteacher has been pivotal to this improving school. He is inspiring, passionate and highly ambitious for the school. Improvements are being driven at a fast rate.  The headteacher is well supported by the staff and governors who share his vision for the school to become outstanding. Staff questionnaires clearly demonstrate that the headteacher has the support of the entire team, ‘I am proud to be part of this school and feel excited about its future’ was a typical comment made.  Subject teams are effective. They work well together to quickly identify areas of weakness and implement agreed actions. For example, in mathematics they have ensured pupils have increased opportunities to use their knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts in a range of problem-solving activities. This is improving pupils’ progress, including those with special educational needs and those pupils who

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

need to catch up quickly with their peers.  The targets set for teachers are used to good effect to hold teachers to account. Training and development is also instrumental in ensuring that the quality of teaching is good. Teachers welcome the chances to work with each other and meet in the local cluster of schools to share good practice and to improve their performance. This investment in staff training is resulting in more pupils making good progress.  The curriculum is built on a two-year programme to effectively accommodate the mixed-age classes and ensure that there is full coverage of all subjects. At the start of each new topic, pupils have ownership in deciding what they want to find out. Consequently, the curriculum motivates and challenges pupils. ‘Focus weeks’ ignite the excitement for pupils. For example, ‘Light up your life’ provided pupils with the opportunity to learn about the different festivals of light celebrated around the world. This included a visit

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

from Bristol’s bhangra band who came into school teaching pupils about Diwali, through dance and song.  The school provides pupils with a wide range of additional activities which are increasingly well attended. Pupils talk with excitement about the clubs they attend including cross-country, tag-rugby, music and art clubs. Sports funding is used effectively to support these activities and provide equality of opportunity to pupils.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is threaded throughout the curriculum. The school’s core values, known by the school community as the ‘7 Cs’: collaboration, confidence, commitment, citizenship, creativity, challenge and curiosity firmly underpin the school’s overall vision of opportunity, enjoyment and excellence. Pupils have a good understanding of cultures and faiths other than their own. For example, pupils talk with excitement about their link with a school in New South Wales, developing a

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

greater understanding of the many cultures such as the Aboriginal people. They understand and value that everyone is unique.  The school works well to develop pupils’ understanding of what it means to live in modern Britain. Pupils talk knowledgeably about democracy, respect and equality of opportunity. For example, visits from the police with the focus on the rule of law and democracy increased their understanding of this aspect of living in Britain. The forthcoming Key Stage 2 visit to the Houses of Parliament is planned to further enhance this.  The school’s capacity to improve further is strong. The school’s evaluation of its own performance is accurate and development plans identify those areas in which improvements are required. However, the headteacher is aware that these plans do not always clearly demonstrate how leaders will carefully check and evaluate the impact that any improvement initiatives have on pupils’ progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The majority of parents who responded to the online parent questionnaire, Parent View, sent a text message or spoke to the inspector are tremendously supportive of the school. Many parents made reference to the ‘outstanding’, ‘amazing’ and ‘brilliant’ leadership of the headteacher. They feel that since his arrival he is ‘steering the ship’. They appreciate the opportunities the school provides and celebrate the good progress their children are making.  The governance of the school – Governors are ambitious for the school. They are highly-skilled individuals who have a good and accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors are knowledgeable about how well pupils, including those that are vulnerable, are performing in relation to other schools nationally. They appreciate the impact that small groups of pupils have when compared to published national figures. Governors hold the headteacher to account but are aware that they need to evaluate

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

actions with greater precision to drive further improvement. – Governors understand how good teaching is rewarded and would support the withholding of pay awards if performance was not good enough. – Governors review the financial arrangements of the school. For example, they know how pupil premium funding is spent and the positive impact it is having on the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The headteacher keeps his colleagues well-briefed about current policies. These are consistently updated and fully adhered to by all staff. The policies and procedures for keeping pupils safe are skilfully threaded through all aspects of the school’s work. All staff take good care of pupils. The well-being of every pupil is of crucial importance to staff and they remain constantly alert in their approach to welfare. Staff receive high-quality safeguarding training and are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

confident in the actions to take if any concerns arise. This enables them to act swiftly and minimise risk to pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Inspection evidence, including joint lesson observations with the headteacher and discussions with pupils, confirms that teaching is typically good.  Teachers have an accurate understanding of what pupils can and cannot do through the consistent implementation of the school’s assessment policy. As a result, pupils across all year groups are making strong progress in their reading, writing and mathematics.  Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this knowledge to plan exciting and interesting lessons which ignite pupils’ enthusiasm and their determination to be successful learners. This is evident in the high-quality work on display and in pupils’ books.  Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. For example, in a Year 3 and 4 mathematics lesson, the probing questioning by the teaching assistant made pupils think carefully about

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

the task and ensured that they had the necessary knowledge and understanding to complete it successfully. Pupils informed the inspector that they were having to work hard to find the solution.  Pupils have a good understanding of the actions they need to take in order to improve their work. Increasingly, they are able to check their own learning and improvements in their work and that of their friends. This is due to teachers consistently applying the school’s marking and feedback policy.  Pupil relish the learning opportunities that they are provided with, work hard and achieve well. However, some pupils, specifically the most-able, could make faster progress in their learning, especially in mathematics. Teachers do not always move their learning on quickly enough during lessons to enable these pupils to make the rapid progress of which they are capable.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Staff have super relationships with the pupils, they care for them and remain alert, ensuring pupils’ safety is never compromised.  Pupils enjoy their learning and attend school regularly, resulting in attendance levels remaining above the national average.  The school works effectively with outside agencies to maintain the safety and well-being of pupils. For example, through nurture groups staff ensure that vulnerable pupils receive high-quality care and support.  The school provides a range of opportunities for pupils to take on roles of responsibility. For example, older pupils work alongside younger ones hearing them read. Pupils are also able to become school councillors through a democratic vote. Pupils told the inspector that they value these opportunities.  Pupils learn to keep safe through a range of learning experiences that are appropriate to their age and

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Personal development and welfare

stage of development. For example, older pupils are fully aware of cyber bullying and know who to go to if they have any concerns. Younger pupils know how to keep themselves safe in and out of school and about the danger of talking to strangers. For example, different badges worn by visitors reinforce this work. Pupils are clear that certain badges inform pupils that it is safe to talk to the holder, other badges indicate that, whilst they should be polite, they should not engage in conversation or go anywhere with them. This system works well and is understood by all pupils, even the very youngest.  The introduction of the ‘worry box’ provides pupils with the opportunity to share their concerns with an adult. They welcome this facility as they appreciate the sensitive approach shown by adults in school in dealing with their concerns.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good and often outstanding. Pupils of all ages clearly understand the difference between right and wrong.  Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. This was exemplified during the inspection at the end of morning play. On hearing the bell all pupils entered the building quickly and calmly so that their next lesson could begin promptly.  During playtimes and lunchtimes, pupils of all ages mix well together. They show a high level of respect for one another and adults. Pupils told the inspector that bullying is unusual and this is confirmed by the school’s records. Incidents of racism and bullying are extremely rare. Pupils are confident that if there are any incidents, staff swiftly tackle them.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Across the school, pupils make strong progress in their reading, writing and mathematics. This is as a result of good teaching where teachers know and respond to the needs of individual pupils. This makes pupils well-prepared for the next stage of their education.  Pupils enjoy reading. Most pupils are confident in using their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) to read unfamiliar words. In 2015, there was a slight dip in the Year 1 phonics screening check. The school is taking swift action to ensure that this is not repeated. Information on current progress shows that pupils are able to use their strong phonics knowledge effectively in their reading. Pupils in Year 2 achieve consistently well in their reading. The school has improved its reading outcomes year-on-year and these are significantly above other schools nationally. It is a similar picture at the end of Year 6 where pupils are making strong progress. These improvements across the school are as a result of

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Outcomes for pupils are good

the high profile reading is given. For example, pupils were eager to participate in an ‘extreme reading competition’ which involved having photographs of them reading in unusual locations such as a stream or a dustbin. The display of photographic evidence of the unusual places pupils were reading was testament to their enjoyment of the challenge.  The progress pupils make in writing is good. In 2015, there were further increases in outcomes at both Year 2 and Year 6, especially in the proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels. The school is not complacent and knows what to do to continue this improvement. Current progress demonstrates the drive by teachers to ensure pupils write with accuracy and confidence across a wide range of subjects.  Year-on-year improvement in mathematics continues with pupils in Year 2 making good progress. Pupils are also making better progress at the end of Year 6, as seen in the 2015 published test results. The

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Outcomes for pupils are good

school continues to ensure that the teaching of mathematics is good, resulting in current progress being strong. The focus on mastery in mathematics is helping pupils to make this good progress and developing their use of skills across a range of subjects. However, not all pupils make the brisk progress of which they are capable of, especially the most-able.  The very small number of disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are making good progress, given their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. This is as a result of the effective use of the pupil premium money and the good teaching these pupils receive.

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Early years provision is good

 The recent appointment of the leader of early years is having a significant impact on the outcomes for children. She demonstrates a determination for continuous improvement. For example, she has rightly identified that work needs to be undertaken to ensure that the environment is exciting for children. She is adapting practice and increasingly providing children with the very best experiences across all areas of learning. This is mirrored in the good quality teaching they receive.  The leader of the early years vigorously analyses assessment information to check how well children are doing. As a result of the actions taken in response to this, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development rose significantly in 2015. Year-on-year, an increasing proportion of children leave the early years with skills above the national average in all areas of learning. This makes sure that they

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Early years provision is good

are well prepared as they move into Year 1.  Children are provided with exciting learning opportunities. For example, pupils were enthusiastically using water play in their learning and were able to confidently explain why ice melts. The guidance provided by the teaching assistant developed the children’s speaking skills and effectively encouraged the use of scientific vocabulary in their responses.  Behaviour of children in the early years is good. They form good relationships with the Year 1 pupils in their class and work and play happily together. Routines have been quickly established and are consistently applied by staff in and outside the classroom.  Relationships between staff and children are strong. This enables children to settle quickly and enjoy their early experiences of school, developing an eagerness to learn.  The safety of children is good. Staff are appropriately trained in all aspects of safeguarding. They are

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Early years provision is good

observant and know how to report any concerns they may have. This ensures the risk to children’s safety is not compromised.

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School details

Unique reference number 115529 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10003873

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 97 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Holly Simkiss Headteacher Dan Johnson Telephone number 01453 842197 Website www.kingswoodprimaryschool.co.uk Email address admin@kingswood.gloucs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13–14 January 2011

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Information about this school

 Kingswood Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school when compared with all schools nationally.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those with special educational needs is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. This is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible to receive free school meals and those in local authority care.  Children in the early years are taught in one class with Year 1 pupils.  A new early years leader has been in post since February 2015.  The school was part of a soft federation with Hillesley C of E Primary School until November 2014.  The headteacher has been in post since April 2015.  The headteacher has a teaching commitment two days a week.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed lessons in every class, all of which were joint observations with the headteacher. During this time, the quality of work in pupils’ books was scrutinised.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, staff and the Chair of the Governing Body. A meeting took place with an officer from the local authority. The inspector took into consideration the responses of six questionnaires completed by staff.  The inspector met with a group of pupils to listen to their views and to hear them read.  A wide range of documentation was scrutinised including the school’s evaluation of its own performance, the school’s development plan, and data relating to pupils’ achievement and progress.  The 23 responses to the online survey, Parent View, and text messages were taken into account. The inspector also spoke to parents informally at the start of the day.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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