Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mr Neil Flint Headteacher Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School Long Lane Charlesworth Glossop Derbyshire SK13 5ET

p.1

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 24 January 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in September 2013.

p.1

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. The school is linked to three local churches. You provide a venue for local groups, such as Brownies, to meet. You arrange for some after- school clubs to finish after the train arrives at the local station, enabling parents who commute to work to collect their children.

p.1

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

At the time of the last inspection leaders were asked to improve pupils’ achievement in mathematics and to improve further some aspects of the quality of teaching. Since your appointment in 2014, you have implemented several changes across the school. You have provided staff with important training and purchased resources to support pupils’ learning. Staff work together to share good practice and discuss pupils’ work. You have introduced a system to track closely the progress that pupils make so that any additional support can be provided, should it benefit pupils. In 2017, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard and the higher standard by the end of both key stage 1 and key stage 2 improved. You recognise that there is still some work to do, particularly in relation to ensuring that the most able pupils are fully challenged.

p.1

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

The school is situated over two sites. The Reception and key stage 1 pupils are taught in one building and key stage 2 pupils in another building up the hill. As we toured both sites together, we saw pupils enjoying their learning. They cooperate well together and were keen to answer questions in class. Pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors. They told me they enjoy the school’s wildlife garden and the opportunities they have to learn to play musical instruments, go on residential trips and watch a pantomime. Pupils said that their teachers make learning fun and they get help in class when they need it.

p.1

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Every parent I spoke with, and the majority who responded to the online survey, Parent View, said that their children are safe and that they feel able to approach staff to talk about their child. During the inspection, several parents came into school to join in with ‘Open Worship’. This is a regular opportunity for parents to join their children for assembly. Several parents told me that if they have ever had a concern, staff have been very willing to listen and resolve matters for them. However, a minority of parents expressed concerns over the way that the school communicates with them. Some said that they would like more information about how well their child is doing, while others would like to know more about issues that relate to their child. You and your leaders are determined to improve this aspect of your work so that parents feel better informed and involved.

p.2

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Governors know the school well. They recognise the improvements you have implemented since your arrival and they are ambitious for the school to improve even further. Governors take time to come into school to participate in training alongside staff. They check the improvements that are being made so they can find out for themselves if they are successful. Governors are keen to work with you to improve communication with parents and carers.

p.2

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. You make sure that all the appropriate vetting checks take place before an adult starts working at the school and that staff receive up-to-date training in safeguarding. Staff are clear about how to report a concern about a child’s welfare should one arise. Governors also receive the appropriate training.

p.2

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

You keep safeguarding records clearly and securely. You have forged strong links with external services, so that you can provide support for parents and signpost them to services which families may find helpful. You have ensured that all your staff have training in attachment issues and you have shared these skills with other schools. You and your staff discuss matters of safeguarding and pupils’ welfare at every staff meeting, keeping this important aspect of the school’s work at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

p.2

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Pupils say that behaviour is good in school. During our tour of lessons we saw pupils behaving well. Pupils are taught about different aspects of safety. Visitors to school, such as representatives from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), talk to pupils about how to keep themselves safe. Pupils learn basic first aid skills, about the risks associated with strangers and how to cycle safely on the roads. Pupils, of all ages, are taught about how to use modern technology safely.

p.2

Short inspection of Charlesworth Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Pupils told me that bullying was very rare. A very few could think of examples of inappropriate behaviour, but they believed that staff dealt with these issues for them.

p.2

Inspection findings

 You have carefully analysed the reasons behind the fall in standards in key stage 1 at the end of 2016. You provided staff with training, support and additional resources. Your approach paid dividends, and by the end of 2017, the proportion of pupils in key stage 1 who achieved the expected standard and the higher standard in each of reading, writing and mathematics had improved. Improvements were particularly strong in reading, where almost half of the pupils achieved the higher standard. You recognise that you need to maintain the work that has already been successful so that standards continue to rise at the end of Year 2.  The leader with responsibility for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has a clear view of the pupils’ needs. She leads discussions with staff frequently to ensure that the interventions she and the teachers plan are having a positive impact for pupils and they make the progress of which they

p.3

Inspection findings

are capable.  You have improved the way that pupils’ progress is tracked. You have worked alongside your staff to analyse carefully why pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 2 fell below that seen nationally in 2016. The improvements to provision and teaching that you and your staff implemented have been successful. By the end of 2017, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading and writing was above that seen nationally. In reading, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard was also above the national figure. The proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in mathematics improved considerably from the previous year, with almost one fifth of pupils achieving the higher standard. You have identified where some inconsistencies remain in pupils’ progress. You have already begun implementing further improvements, particularly to ensure that the most able pupils are sufficiently challenged to

p.3

Inspection findings

enable them to reach the higher standards in writing and mathematics.  You and your staff consider carefully how improvements to teaching and provision can be made in order to improve outcomes for pupils. You look closely at the answers pupils give in tests, for example to determine future plans for lessons so that gaps in learning are not missed. Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes in your small school. You are developing procedures for more effective transition between classes so that no opportunities for learning will be lost.

p.3

Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.3

Next steps for the school

 teachers provide pupils with high-quality support and challenge so that those pupils capable of achieving the higher standards by the end of key stage 2 are enabled to do so, particularly in writing and mathematics  teachers fully implement the improvements that have been introduced so that more pupils achieve the expected and higher standards by the end of key stage 1, particularly in writing and mathematics  leaders work more extensively to improve communication with parents so they feel well informed about their child’s school life and the progress that they are making.

p.3

Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Derby, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Derbyshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.4

Information about the inspection

During this inspection, I met with you, the senior teacher, the special educational needs coordinator, the literacy leader and a teacher who is new to the profession. I met with four governors, including the chair. I held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority and with a member of the Glossop Multi Agency Team. I spoke with pupils informally in class and held a more formal meeting with a group of seven pupils.

p.4

Information about the inspection

You and I toured the school to see the learning taking place in every class and I examined a range of pupils’ books from across the school. I considered the views of parents through the online survey, Parent View. I spoke with parents at both the infant and junior sites. There were no responses to either the staff or pupil online surveys.

p.4

Information about the inspection

I examined a range of documentation, including that relating to the safeguarding of pupils and the progress they make. I scrutinised the school’s self-evaluation statement and the current school development plan.

p.4