Studley St Mary's CofE Academy

Inspection of Studley St Mary’s CofE Academy New Road, Studley, Warwickshire B80 7ND

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement 18–19 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and caring school. Leaders and staff take a real interest in pupils. Pupils feel safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School leaders are ambitious for pupils. They help them to behave well and work hard. However, pupils do not always learn well enough. In English, for example, too few pupils remember what they are taught. Pupils who find reading difficult do not always get enough help. In some foundation subjects, staff do not know enough about how well pupils are doing.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In mathematics, pupils’ learning is well organised. Each topic taught is built on earlier learning. Pupils are confident and successful in this subject.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff show strong care for pupils. Pupils settle in quickly and well. A few pupils were unhappy at their previous school but thrive at Studley St Mary’s. Pupils told us that they enjoy lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers like the range of clubs and activities that pupils take part in. A few are worried about bullying but we found it was dealt with well. Many parents would like more information about what pupils are learning. Most would recommend the school to others.

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better?

Leaders have improved the school since the last inspection. But weaknesses in the curriculum mean that pupils do not do as well as they should. Some pupils do not learn and remember enough in English lessons. Gaps in knowledge are not filled before pupils start new or more complex tasks. As a result, pupils can struggle. As well as this, teachers do not always set work that follows on from earlier learning.

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better?

Some pupils join the school with poor reading skills. Teachers and other adults give these pupils extra help. But many need this help sooner. Pupils do not practise their reading enough. Their reading books are often too hard. Fluent readers are sometimes given books that are too easy. In mathematics, pupils enjoy learning and achieve well. The mathematics curriculum is organised so that pupils make good progress during their time in school. Training has helped teachers with this.

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better?

In the foundation subjects, such as art, music and physical education (PE), leaders know what they want pupils to study. However, understanding of how much pupils learn or remember is sketchy A few subjects, for example science, arrange work so that it builds up pupils’ learning well. Other subjects do not do this yet.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils are usually given enough help in lessons. But, like other pupils, they could do better in reading, English and foundation subjects. 18–19 September 2019

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The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are a strength of the school. Studley St Mary’s is a friendly, respectful and polite community. The daily life of the school reflects its Christian ethos.

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Pupils follow the school’s simple rules – ‘Be ready, be respectful, be safe.’ Leaders and staff apply the rules fairly. Pupils usually behave well in lessons and around the school. Leaders and staff are quick to praise them when they do. Pupils attend school very regularly, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Parents are happy with pupils’ behaviour. Pupils say that behaviour has improved.

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Leaders recognise the importance of pupils’ wider development. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) helps pupils to learn about themselves in the wider world. It takes account of their different backgrounds. Pupils learn about different sorts of relationships in ways suitable for their age. They learn to be tolerant of others. They work well together and are kind to each other.

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Interesting activities prepare pupils for life after Studley St Mary’s. Pupils take part in community work. Trips and visiting speakers teach them about life in modern Britain. Pupils enjoy taking part in extra-curricular clubs, which are well attended. These clubs help pupils discover new talents, including by playing sport and making music. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, lead prayers in school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is well led. Leaders and staff keep a watchful eye on pupils’ welfare. They know about risks that pupils may face, including locally. They teach pupils to keep themselves safe when using the internet. Pupils know who to speak to if they have any problems. They say that bullying is rare.

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Safeguarding

Frequent training helps staff know how to keep pupils safe. Leaders liaise quickly with local authority services when they need to do so. Regular checks on safeguarding arrangements help ensure that pupils are protected. The trust provides effective support for safeguarding.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Strengthen teaching by helping all pupils learn, recall and practise relevant knowledge and skills before attempting new or more difficult work.  Revise the content of the curriculum in English and the foundation subjects, including the order in which aspects are taught, so that they build more progressively on pupils’ learning. 18–19 September 2019

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 Improve the accuracy of assessment in the foundation subjects so that leaders and teachers know how well pupils are learning.  Identify specific weaknesses in pupils’ phonics knowledge as early as possible.  Ensure that the choice of reading books helps weaker readers improve their reading skills.  Extend and widen the choice of reading books available for fluent readers.

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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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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. 18–19 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111680 Type of school Junior

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9–10 May 2017

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Information about this school

 The characteristics of the school have not changed significantly since the school was last inspected.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with senior leaders and representatives from the Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust. We also met with members of the local governing board.  During the inspection, inspectors looked at reading across the school. They also looked at other aspects of English, mathematics and PSHE. The inspectors spoke with leaders and teachers about these subjects, visited lessons and spoke with pupils about their work. They also visited science, art, PE and design and technology lessons.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about behaviour and safety in the school. They looked at key documents, and spoke with staff, about safeguarding. Inspectors considered a range of evidence, including first-hand observation, about the pupils’ 18–19 September 2019

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personal development. They spoke with parents about their views of the school.  Inspectors took account of some responses to the staff questionnaire. They also considered responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including some written comments.

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Inspection team

Mike Cladingbowl, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Susan Hughes Ofsted Inspector 18–19 September 2019

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