Box Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Box Church of England Primary School High Street, Box, Corsham, Wiltshire SN13 8NF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding 11–12 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy it at Box Primary School. They are safe, attend well and have positive attitudes to learning. Staff expect pupils to behave and follow the school rules. Pupils are polite and usually show respect to each other in class. They like playing with older and younger pupils and this creates a real family feel. Pupils say that bullying happens rarely. Yet, they do say that occasionally pupils do tease each other. If a pupil is unfriendly, pupils say that adults help them to sort it out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s garden is a hive of activity. ‘Welly walks’ for the younger children inspire their curiosity. Whole-school events such as ‘camp fest’ develop pupils’ creative, musical and problem-solving abilities well. Pupils enjoy their music lessons and perform with pride at community events. In Years 4 and 6, pupils go on residential visits. All these activities build up children’s confidence, teamwork and determination.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they really enjoy learning. Teachers plan lessons that motivate pupils and make them think. Pupils usually maintain their concentration well. However, pupils say that there are some occasions when their work is not hard enough. When this happens, pupils do not get on as well as they should.

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better?

Children get off to a great start in early years. The well-thought-out curriculum is exciting. Children quickly gain the confidence and the knowledge they need to thrive. There is a strong focus on early language skills and a love of books. Children in early years are well prepared for Year 1.

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better?

The school’s curriculum covers the national curriculum and provides well for pupils’ moral, spiritual and cultural understanding. Pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. They behave well in lessons, ask questions, and stick at their work. They relish opportunities to tackle the most difficult work on offer. Effective teaching prepares pupils well for secondary school. Most staff have strong subject knowledge.

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better?

The school organises its curriculum plans so that teaching builds on what pupils have learned before. However, leaders do not check on the impact of these plans in class well enough. Some teachers check on the skills that pupils learn rather than what pupils know and remember. Pupils enjoy science, computing and subjects such as history. The wide-ranging experiences beyond academic learning develop pupils’ confidence and determination effectively. However, pupils do not always remember or apply the knowledge set out in the school’s planned curriculum.

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better?

The mathematics curriculum is appropriately demanding and pupils enjoy it. Most teachers deal with pupils’ misconceptions as they arise. Pupils’ recall and application of mathematics are strong.

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better?

Teachers who are new to the school, or returning, build good relationships with pupils. However, at times, what teachers deliver in class is a little too easy or too difficult. This 11–12 September 2019

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The teaching of reading brings about high standards by the end of key stage 2. The vast majority of pupils learn to read accurately in Years 1 and 2. Yet, the small number of pupils who need more help do not get precise support quickly enough, so it takes longer for pupils who struggle to read to catch up.

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Some sequences of work for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not developed or adapted to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND make steady gains in their work, but leaders do not have a good enough overview of how well pupils’ targets meet their specific needs.

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The vast majority of parents and carers rate the school highly and would recommend it to another parent. However, a small number of parents say that they need more effective communication with leaders and staff when they raise concerns.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff vetting checks are in line with current legislation and are fit for purpose. Induction for new staff is effective. As a result, staff apply their knowledge and understanding of their training well. Staff know how to make referrals should they be concerned about a pupil’s welfare. Pupils are safe and have a strong understanding of how to keep safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While most pupils learn well, some pupils with SEND do not reach their full potential. The quality of review meetings, and communications between staff and parents, are not sufficiently comprehensive. Leaders need to ensure that the content of pupils’ individual plans is well chosen and meets pupils’ learning and emotional needs consistently well. Communication with parents must improve so that parents’ views are heard, and any concerns are dealt with quickly.  The raised expectations of the headteacher have improved teachers’ use of assessment to check pupils’ understanding and inform teaching. This has increased the challenge in the curriculum, for example in mathematics. However, leaders have not ensured that teachers who are new to the school, or returning after an extended absence, have had the training that other teachers have received previously. Leaders need to check the implementation of the curriculum,

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

along with how teachers use their assessments, to inform teaching more precisely across the school.  The vast majority of pupils read with accuracy and understanding by the end of key stage 2. Most pupils use and apply their knowledge of phonics and read accurately. However, there is not a sharp enough focus or an effective system in place to ensure that those younger pupils who struggle to read catch up quickly and spell correctly. Pupils do not receive enough practice to apply phonics to read 11–12 September 2019

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whole words accurately. Leaders must ensure that all teachers and support staff have strong subject knowledge and teach phonics so that pupils read well.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 11–12 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10086904 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 June 2010

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Information about this school

 There have been considerable staff changes over the last two years. There is a greater proportion of staff who are new to the school or returning from an extended planned absence.  There is a new chair of governors and vice-chair who took up their roles this year.  The school was last inspected in June 2010, when it was graded outstanding. There was a curriculum and development visit in June 2011.  The school has six classes. All classes contain two age ranges.  The proportions of pupils with SEND are in line with those seen nationally.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior staff, the leaders of SEND, class teachers and three governors. An inspector also held a conversation with a representative from the local authority. 11–12 September 2019

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 Inspectors visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to them about their experience of school.  The inspection concentrated on reading, mathematics, science and computing. Inspectors also talked to pupils and staff about other areas of the curriculum. An inspector reviewed the school’s plans for pupils’ wider personal development.  The school’s records of safeguarding checks and referrals to the local authority were reviewed. We spoke to staff about how they keep pupils safe. We also asked pupils how they keep themselves safe and what to do if they have concerns.  We observed pupils playing at break- and lunchtimes.  One inspector talked to parents at the beginning of day two of the inspection. We took 77 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, into account, along with 32 free-text responses. Free-text responses were opened when the school converted to a full section 5 inspection, in line with Ofsted’s guidance.

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Inspection team

Julie Carrington, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Greenwood Ofsted Inspector 11–12 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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