Castlemorton CofE Primary School

Castlemorton CofE Primary School Church Road, Castlemorton, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6BG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Improvements in pupils’ achievement in key stage 1 and key stage 2 since the previous inspection have not been sufficiently sustained.  From individual starting points broadly typical for their age, pupils are making variable rates of progress.  Pupils’ progress, particularly in mathematics, is inconsistent across year groups.  The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard or above in mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2016 was too low from pupils’ individual starting points.  The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school varies greatly from year group to year group, which slows pupils’ progress, particularly in mathematics.   Since the previous inspection, school leaders and managers have not tackled inconsistent teaching rapidly enough to improve pupils’ achievement securely.  Actions put in place to improve pupils’ achievement have had too little time to bring about secure improvement.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils are not always challenged appropriately enough in lessons.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Younger pupils are taught to read well. A love of reading is fostered well in school.  The proportion of younger children reaching a good level of development has increased sharply since the previous inspection.  Effective leadership and management of the early years are responsible for the many improvements that have taken place in the Reception class since the previous inspection.  The headteacher and other leaders, including governors, have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and how to bring about the necessary improvements.  The appointment of the highly skilled deputy headteacher brings much additional strength to the senior leadership team.  Pupils are polite and well mannered around school. Their attitudes to learning in lessons are strong.  Pupils are taught effectively how to stay safe when using the internet.  Standards in writing have improved.   This is a school where the care and nurture of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils is successfully helping vulnerable pupils to progress well in their learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching to strengthen pupils’ progress, particularly in mathematics, by: – ensuring greater consistency in the quality of teaching across the school – more carefully matching the challenge provided in learning tasks to the needs of individual pupils – fully embedding the use of the new teaching scheme used for teaching mathematics – extending opportunities for pupils to explain their reasoning behind how they approach solving problems – making sure that mathematical skills are used more effectively in a wider range of other subjects.  Strengthen the impact leaders are having on improving pupils’ achievement by: – more effectively using the coaching skills of stronger teachers to support those who are weaker – using the latest school performance information more effectively to drive improvement – more robustly monitoring pupils’ progress to hold teachers more fully to account for the impact their teaching has on learning

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– building upon the success of initiatives introduced in the early years and Year 1.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Gains secured by senior leaders in pupils’ progress and attainment since the previous inspection have not been sustained and remain too variable in key stage 1 and key stage 2.  Weak teaching has not been tackled fast enough since the previous inspection. This has hindered pupils’ progress. The use of the newly appointed deputy headteacher to support weaker teachers has so far had too little time to improve teaching across the whole school.  Checks carried out by senior leaders on the quality of teaching are too infrequent and not sufficiently targeted on overcoming the greatest weaknesses.  The system used by school leaders to track the progress pupils are making is not giving them precise enough information about how rapidly groups of pupils are improving, particularly when they are receiving additional support after being identified as falling behind in their learning.  Senior leaders introduced a new scheme for the teaching of mathematics, which is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

improving pupils’ progress. It has had too little time to securely accelerate pupils’ progress across the whole school.  The headteacher and other leaders have high expectations of staff and pupils alike. They have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and how to bring about improvement. School leaders have rapidly improved the early years and the teaching of reading since the previous inspection.  The appointment of the deputy headteacher has strengthened senior leadership effectively since the previous inspection. She has taken on the leadership of mathematics in school with gusto and has secure plans to bring about the necessary improvements.  The curriculum is supporting pupils’ learning effectively. Pupils report that they enjoy learning through lots of practical activities. The forest school is used well to extend learning. Pupils enjoyed getting involved in a national science experiment with the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

astronaut, Major Tim Peake, last year. The amazing garden designed and created by pupils for the Malvern Spring Show in May 2016 beat many rivals to win a prestigious award.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effectively promoted within the rich and diverse curriculum.  Additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils in school is used very effectively. The latest school performance information shows the few disadvantaged pupils making at least similar rates of progress to other pupils and in many cases exceeding them in reading, writing and mathematics.  Sport premium funding is used well to extend the range of sports provided for pupils. Those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit immensely from the funding provided to support them. This is helping them to make good progress in their learning.  Pupils are well prepared for living in modern Britain. They have a well-developed

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

understanding of what constitutes British values and can articulate this clearly.  The breakfast club, run by the school, is effectively led and managed. Pupils enjoy attending and are well prepared for the day ahead by a healthy and hearty breakfast.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have high expectations of staff. They check carefully on staff performance and understand the link between performance and pay progression. This year, they have ensured that all staff are focusing fully on improving pupils’ achievement in mathematics. Governors regularly ask challenging questions of leaders and staff about pupils’ performance. They are managing their school budget diligently through carefully balancing available funding and providing additional support to improve pupils’ achievement.  Governors place a high priority on keeping pupils safe. They ensure that staff training is up to date and relevant.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are robust and effective. All staff take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. Rigorous processes are in place to ensure that pupils are kept safe in school. The governor with responsibility for safeguarding checks these processes rigorously. Robust systems are in place to ensure that anyone admitted to the site is fully supervised as they cross the playground during times when pupils are taking their morning or afternoon breaks.  All relevant safeguarding training is up to date and records of staff attendance at training are diligently managed.  Safeguarding is given the highest priority in school and concerns are followed up thoroughly by those in senior positions. Those responsible for safeguarding work closely with a wide range of outside agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils are well supported. A robust culture of safeguarding exists in this school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching varies between classes, resulting in pupils making varying rates of progress in their learning, particularly in mathematics.  In a few classes, learning tasks are poorly matched to pupils’ learning needs, which hinders their learning. A group of girls were observed struggling with a mathematics task which was too difficult for them to complete.  In mathematics, too few opportunities are provided for pupils to explain their reasoning behind how to approach solving problems. This is hindering their learning. Opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other subjects are underdeveloped.  A new scheme to support the way in which mathematics is taught in school has been introduced since the previous inspection. It is in the early stages of beginning to improve pupils’ achievement in the subject.  Pupils’ books show differing expectations in different year groups. Exceptionally high

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

expectations are apparent in pupils’ books from upper key stage 2, but this is not the case in all other year groups.  Pupils in upper key stage 2 were observed making rapid progress in mathematics. They spoke animatedly with the inspector about how much they enjoyed tackling the challenging work they were expected to complete.  Teaching assistants are highly skilled. They work closely with teachers to support pupils’ learning effectively in lessons and in small intervention groups.  Teachers and teaching assistants use questioning effectively to identify gaps in learning, helping them to plan appropriately the next steps in learning for pupils.  Subject-specific vocabulary is used well in lessons. This is helping pupils to learn the correct words to use in specific subjects. Much focus is being placed on encouraging pupils to talk like scientists to develop their scientific vocabulary.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. A caring and nurturing approach is very apparent in this school. Nearly a third of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities and they are hard to identify in classes because they are benefiting from high-quality support.  Pupils are very tolerant of each other. They are mindful that those having difficulties in their learning deserve, and benefit from, the extra support that is provided for them.  Pupils report that on rare occasions, bullying occurs. They are clear that when these rare occasions arise, issues are dealt with promptly and firmly by adults in school. Pupils are aware and very tolerant of the small number of pupils who have difficulties with their anger management, explaining that they understand that these pupils are unable to help their behaviour.  The strong and successful focus put on keeping pupils safe when using the internet is

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Personal development and welfare

successfully helping pupils to stay safe. They know what actions to take if they come across potential problems. This is checked on thoroughly by governors.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well around school. They are polite and courteous towards each other and adults. Pupils and parents agree, rightly, that behaviour in this school is good.  Breaktimes are a delight around school. Pupils cooperate well and enjoy the company of each other on the playground. At lunchtime, older pupils look after those who are younger. Older pupils ensure that dining is a pleasurable experience in the calm and well-ordered dining room.  Rates of attendance are above average. Pupils enjoy their learning and attend school regularly. Very few pupils are absent on a regular basis because the importance of attending regularly is communicated so well by the school. Pupils are smartly turned out in their uniforms. They are proud to be members of the school community.  In most lessons, pupils sit and listen attentively to their teachers. They participate enthusiastically in learning tasks without any interruption. In lessons, pupils display

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Behaviour

positive attitudes to their learning. Very occasionally, one or two pupils do not participate as fully as they could in learning.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 From their individual starting points, pupils’ progress varies in a range of subjects from one class to the next, particularly in mathematics. This is due to shortcomings in the consistency of the quality of teaching.  Pupils’ progress in mathematics in Year 6 last year was significantly below average and in the bottom 10% of schools nationally.  Rates of pupils’ progress have been variable since the previous inspection. This is reflective of a legacy of weak teaching and inconsistencies that remain in the quality of teaching.  Standards at the end of key stage 1 were below average and declined in reading and mathematics in 2015. They remained below average in 2016. In key stage 2, standards declined in 2015 in reading and mathematics and in 2016 they remained slightly below average in reading and were well below average in mathematics.  Standards have increased in writing in both Year 2 and Year 6 and they are now above

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

average. These improvements are reflected in pupils’ books. Pupils’ progress in writing in 2016 was broadly in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check has increased rapidly over two years, and is now well above average.  Most-able pupils are currently making similar rates of progress to other pupils.  School performance information shows that disadvantaged pupils’ progress is strong. There were no disadvantaged pupils in Year 2 or Year 6 in 2016 so it is not possible to comment on their attainment compared with that of other pupils nationally. Those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good rates of progress.

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Early years provision Good

 Children get off to a flying start in their education because their needs are so well met in the bright, stimulating and exciting Reception classroom and outdoor area.  From joining the Reception class with knowledge and skills typically expected for their age, children make rapid progress because of effective teaching. This means that the vast majority of children are well prepared to join Year 1.  Teaching in the Reception class is good. Children were observed participating in a challenging lesson based around dinosaurs. A small group of children were enthusiastically exploring fossils, while other groups extended their knowledge of ordering numbers to 20 and sorting coloured dinosaurs. In all cases, the adults working with the groups of children used key mathematical vocabulary effectively to extend learning and asked challenging questions of them.  The proportions of children who are well prepared for learning in the next stage of

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Early years provision Good

their education have increased rapidly over the last two years. In 2016, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development was well above average. Last year children made slightly greater progress in reading and writing than in mathematics.  There were no disadvantaged children in the early years in 2016, so their performance cannot be compared with that of other children.  Behaviour in the early years is good. Children enjoy each other’s company and are happy to take turns and share toys and resources.  Parents speak in glowing terms about the transition into school, which greatly assists their children in settling rapidly to school routines. The school works successfully and closely with the pre-school provision on site and a wide range of other providers prior to children joining the Reception class to aid their transition.  Early years is effectively led. Effective arrangements for safeguarding are in place to

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Early years provision Good

keep children safe and secure in the classroom and outdoor area.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.castlemortonprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Email address head@castlemorton.worcs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9–10 December 2014

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is below the national average. There are very small numbers of disadvantaged pupils in many classes.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is above average.  The school met the government’s floor standards in 2016, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of information on its website.  A small on-site breakfast club is run by the school.  A new deputy headteacher took up post in September 2015.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning in lessons and parts of lessons. Two of these were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, school staff and five governors, including the chair of the governing body. The inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Discussions took place with more than 20 parents, and with groups of pupils. The inspector spoke informally to pupils in lessons, and during breaks and lunchtimes.  Pupils’ work was scrutinised during lessons, as was work produced over time in a wide range of their books. The inspector also listened to a small number of pupils from Year 1 and Year 6 reading.  The inspector closely observed the work of the school and looked at the latest school performance information showing the progress that current pupils in the school are making.  Other documentation scrutinised included: plans for school improvement; safeguarding

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Information about this inspection

information; behaviour logs; attendance records; and minutes of meetings of the governing body.  The inspector took account of 48 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and considered 22 free-text responses from parents.

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Inspection team

Declan McCauley, lead inspector Ofsted 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection 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.gov.uk/ofsted

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