Trent Young's CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Trent Young’s CofE Primary School Trent, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4SW

p.1

Outcome

Trent Young’s CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school. Staff have created a nurturing, calm school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and behave well in lessons. In lessons, pupils are keen to discuss their learning and talk enthusiastically about the school’s curriculum. Pupils attend school well. Rates of pupils’ absence are below national averages and very few are frequently absent. Pupils feel safe and are safe.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils and make these clear. Lessons are focused and purposeful. Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils who spoke to inspectors said that bullying was not a part of school life. Pupils, staff and governors are passionate about the school’s Christian distinctiveness.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff, governors and trust representatives are relentless in their pursuit of excellence. They want pupils to have the best possible education. Together, they have overseen year- on-year improvements. As a result, pupils have been increasingly better prepared for the next stage of their education. Leaders are exploring ways of improving the school’s method of teaching foundation subjects. This work is in its early stages, but the first signs are positive. Pupils are particularly talkative about what they have learned in geography. Older pupils described the devastating impact of climate change with much passion.

p.1

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

Leaders, at all levels, manage the school well. Leaders have high expectations of pupils and they cascade these expectations well across all staff. Leaders have an accurate view of the school. They prioritise improvements that further strengthen the school’s effectiveness and provide staff with training to help achieve these aims. Staff support leaders’ vision for the school. They feel that leaders consider staff well-being and workload well, by introducing new initiatives gradually, rather than all at once.

p.1

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

Leaders are in the process of introducing a new curriculum to strengthen how well staff teach the foundation subjects. This work is still in its initial stages of implementation. 10 December 2019

p.1

2

Leaders’ plans are ambitious. They want pupils to have a deep understanding of the subjects they are learning. They have given considerable thought to how they will sequence the curriculum, so that pupils know more and remember more. Early signs are promising. Pupils are positive about the new approach and can recall what they have already learned. However, curriculum plans need adapting for pupils because, prior to this, they have not learned all that they need to help them follow this challenging curriculum.

p.2

2

The teaching of early reading is effective. The school’s approach to teaching children to read is consistent across the school. Children in the Reception class get off to a flying start and can recognise letters and the sounds they make with increasing confidence. They read books which help them practise the sounds they have learned. This momentum continues into key stage 1. Leaders ensure staff that teach phonics have suitable training. Leaders closely track pupils’ progress, so they can provide further support. Most pupils in key stage 1 keep up with the school’s phonics programme. However, staff who teach phonics are not routinely keeping tabs on those pupils who may be at risk of falling behind.

p.2

2

Staff have implemented the school’s method of teaching mathematics consistently. The curriculum is carefully thought through and builds on pupils’ prior learning. Leaders have adapted the curriculum, so it helps pupils develop greater confidence with numbers. This is helping pupils to recall key facts. On a few occasions, teachers do not check on struggling pupils well enough. This means that some pupils access learning that is not as well matched as it could be. In the Reception class, children develop the basic number knowledge they need and are beginning to add and subtract smaller numbers. Children engage well with these activities.

p.2

2

Pupils behave well. They value their learning and enjoy lessons. The school’s engaging curriculum captures pupils’ interests well. Pupils are enthusiastic about what they are learning and are keen to share their best work. Pupils are proud of what they have achieved and demonstrate pride in their work.

p.2

2

The school’s values of being ‘Ready, respectful and safe’ are known by all. Pupils hold these values in high regard and are eager to demonstrate them. Pupils learn how to keep healthy and can recall key strategies to help achieve this. Pupils value collective worship; they appreciate the opportunities to reflect on moral and current issues, such as climate change.

p.2

2

Staff are on hand to provide support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This helps pupils access the school’s curriculum. Staff set pupils targets, which they review on a termly basis to consider how well pupils have made progress. However, some of these targets are too broad and do not make clear what it is pupils will be able to do at each milestone. Because of this, some targets continue longer than they need to. 10 December 2019

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils are safe in school. Leaders ensure that recruitment checks on all staff are complete, so they only appoint staff who are suitable to work with children. Staff have had the training they need so they can spot potential concerns about pupils’ welfare. Leaders acknowledge that the number of concerns they have are few, but they maintain a vigilant approach so that complacency does not creep in. Leaders keep detailed records of concerns about pupils’ welfare. This helps them to spot any patterns or trends. Leaders escalate concerns to the local authority when they require more advice or support.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers and support staff have high expectations of pupils. However, staff are not routinely checking in on pupils who are at risk of falling behind, particularly in phonics and mathematics. As a result, pupils occasionally struggle. Staff need to ensure that they check on how well these pupils are getting on and adapt the curriculum accordingly, so pupils keep up with their peers.  Leaders are in the process of introducing an ambitious, engaging curriculum for the foundation subjects. These plans are not yet complete for all subjects. Leaders have a clear strategy for improving the school’s curriculum. The curriculum that leaders have opted for is very challenging. However, pupils have gaps in their knowledge, which makes it difficult for them to learn this new content. Teachers need to support pupils to complete their understanding and break new learning into suitable chunks, so pupils can succeed.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils with SEND receive support from adults to help them access the school’s curriculum. Teachers set targets for pupils, which they regularly review alongside the special needs coordinator. However, the quality of targets is not consistently strong. Targets are not always precise enough. As a result, some pupils work on the same targets for some time. Staff need to ensure that targets are more precise, considering key milestones and the time frame for targets to be achieved.

p.3

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. 10 December 2019

p.3

4

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Trent Young’s CofE Primary School, to be good in May 2014.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 10 December 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10119944 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Ofsted inspected the predecessor school in May 2014, when inspectors judged the school to be good. In February 2017, the school joined the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust.  The academy trust has a scheme of delegation in place, which makes clear the responsibilities that the local governing board has. The local governing board is organised into committees and focuses on these delegated aspects of school performance.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors looked closely at reading, mathematics and geography during the inspection. Inspectors met with senior leaders and curriculum leaders, considered pupils’ workbooks, conducted lesson visits, and spoke with teachers and pupils.  The lead inspector spoke with the CEO and the director of education from the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust. He also met with members of the local governing board. They discussed the responsibilities that the trust has delegated to the governing board and how, together, they ensure that the school is performing well.  The team inspector met with the designated leader for safeguarding. The lead 10 December 2019

p.5

6

inspector considered the school’s single central record.  The team inspector analysed the school’s attendance information, behaviour logs and exclusion records.  The team inspector met with several parents at the end of the school day. Inspectors also considered responses to the online survey, Parent View, and the staff survey. Inspectors spoke with pupils to find out their views about the school.

p.6

Inspection team

Nathan Kemp, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Nick Sheppard Ofsted Inspector 10 December 2019

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7