Franche Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Franche Primary School Chestnut Grove, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY11 5QB

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Outcome

Franche Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like coming to school. They describe it as a place where everyone is welcome. They feel safe and well cared for. Pupils say they have ‘trusted adults’, who are people in school who help them with any problems or worries. They say that bullying is rare at the school and that if it happens, adults deal with it well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They move around the school sensibly. Pupils behave well during lessons because they are interested in their learning. All staff want pupils to do as well as they can. Most pupils make good progress in all subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a wide variety of extra opportunities. This includes clubs and the weekly enrichment afternoon. Pupils enjoy activities such as dry-slope skiing, horse riding, tri-golf and chess. Pupils are keen to have responsibilities. They are proud to be school councillors, house captains, peer mediators and members of the safeguarding action squad. They make a real difference to their school and local community. This includes raising money for charities. For example, pupils sell plants and food they have grown at their annual food and garden show. Year 5 pupils donated money to the local food bank after hosting a Christmas fair.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are passionate about providing a curriculum that meets the needs and interests of pupils. They want to make sure that pupils build knowledge in all subjects as they move through the school. Teachers plan activities so that pupils can make links between what they are learning about. For example, pupils use what they know about Ancient Rome to map out locations of places in Europe. In physical education (PE), teachers make sure that younger pupils can control different sizes of ball. They then move on to play invasion games such as football and tag-rugby.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is a high priority. Leaders are determined that all pupils learn to read. Staff who teach phonics are well trained so early reading is taught well. Pupils who do not pass the 6–7 November 2019

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phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 are given effective support to become more confident readers. Pupils read daily with books that include the sounds they know.

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The focus on reading continues for older pupils. They develop their reading skills through the study of high-quality texts. Pupils read for pleasure both at home and school. They choose books each week from a well-stocked library. Pupils are doing better than in the past. Leaders know there is more to do so that all pupils achieve as well as they can.

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Mathematics is taught well throughout the school. Teachers ensure that pupils have a good grasp of basic skills. There are daily opportunities to practise these to become fluent. Pupils apply their knowledge when solving problems successfully. Pupils are less confident when they are reasoning about their work. Teachers are now providing more opportunities to practise this.

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Children get off to an excellent start in early years. Relationships between adults and children are strong. Children are well cared for and safe. Staff are keen to work with parents and carers to support children’s learning. Parents enjoy the family learning sessions.

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The curriculum meets the needs of all children across the setting. Children enjoy exciting topics through which they can explore and investigate. Leaders ensure there is a focus on basic skills, for example communication, reading, writing and mathematics. A high proportion of children are academically, personally, socially and emotionally ready for Year 1.

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Staff have high expectations of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers understand the additional needs of pupils and ensure that activities are matched to their individual needs. Pupils with SEND are doing well. They access the learning and enjoy the same broad curriculum as their classmates.

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Leaders provide well for pupils’ personal development. Pupils are responsible, kind and thoughtful. They undertake activities that will make a difference to others, for example a project to reduce the use of plastic in Kidderminster and becoming pen pals with residents at a care home for the elderly. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures. Pupils are respectful of differences. Older pupils say that people must be treated fairly regardless of skin colour, religion, disability or sexuality.

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Governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They provide appropriate challenge and support. Most staff say that senior leaders take account of workload and give examples of changes that have been made to support this. Most parents are positive about the work of the school. Many parents praise the hard work and commitment of leaders and staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Keeping children safe is a high priority for all staff. Leaders carry out the right checks 6–7 November 2019

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before staff start work at the school. All staff are trained so that they know what to do when a pupil might be at risk. Staff report concerns quickly. The designated safeguarding leader and her team have strong relationships with the local authority and other agencies. This means that pupils get the help they need.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes how to stay safe online, when using roads and around water. Older pupils learn about safe relationships.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders should ensure that they build on recent improvements in how reading skills are taught. This is to ensure that pupils deepen their understanding of the texts they read so that a higher proportion reach the standards of which they are capable by the end of each key stage.  The mathematics curriculum ensures that pupils acquire secure calculation skills that they use to solve problems. However, pupils are less confident when reasoning. Leaders should ensure that teachers continue to provide more opportunities for pupils to further strengthen their reasoning skills. This will enable pupils to have more confidence when they are explaining what they have done and justifying their answers.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 6–7 November 2019

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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. 6–7 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10088425 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Jelena Merrick and Jason Borlase

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22–23 April 2015

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Information about this school

 The school is currently led by the deputy headteacher in the role of acting headteacher.  The school has provision for two-year-old children as part of its early years setting.  A new headteacher has been appointed since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the acting headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, a range of curriculum leaders, and the SEND coordinator. The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, geography and PE. This involved speaking with curriculum leaders, teachers and pupils, evaluating planning documents and pupils’ books, and visits to lessons.  Inspectors spoke to leaders, staff and pupils about safeguarding. The lead inspector reviewed policies, documents and the school’s system for recording concerns. The single central record of staff was reviewed by inspectors.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body to discuss how they fulfil their statutory duties, including those around safeguarding. Inspectors also discussed 6–7 November 2019

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staff workload.  Inspectors held conversations with pupils at breaktime and lunchtime to find out about behaviour at the school.  Inspectors carried out a range of activities to evaluate how the school supports pupils’ wider development. This included talking to teachers and pupils and reviewing plans.

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Inspection team

Jo Evans, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tracy Stone Ofsted Inspector 6–7 November 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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