Cherry Grove Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Cherry Grove Primary School Cherry Grove Road, Chester CH3 5EG

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Outcome

Cherry Grove Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Cherry Grove is a happy and safe school where pupils behave extremely well. From a young age, they are taught about their rights and responsibilities. This helps them to develop a good understand of the importance of tolerance and respect. Pupils know about the different forms of bullying. They told me that it is very rare at the school and that staff quickly sort out any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School leaders have high expectations of pupils. This is reflected in the school’s broad curriculum and the high-quality work that is displayed around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They appreciate the wide range of opportunities that the school provides for pupils, both within and outside of the school day. They value the many trips and special events that the school organises. All of the parents who responded to Parent View agreed that pupils are safe and well looked after. One parent described the school as being like ‘One big happy family!’

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

Pupils have a strong sense of pride in their school. They enjoy school and enjoy learning. They behave well in class and when moving around school. Even when the weather is cold and damp, they love breaktimes and play cooperatively with each other. Pupils attend school regularly. Few pupils are persistently absent.

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

Children settle happily into the Nursery and Reception classes. Staff use the well-designed curriculum to make learning meaningful and fun. They help children to develop a good understanding of early mathematics. Teachers also introduce children to a wide range of books and encourage them to learn songs and poems. This helps to build children’s confidence and their awareness of rhythm and rhyme.

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

Early reading is taught well. Children learn about phonics from their very first days in school. Teachers keep a close check on how well children are progressing. Children who 10–11 December 2019

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find reading difficult receive the extra support that they need to succeed. Teachers encourage pupils to develop a love of reading. Older pupils have a good knowledge of different authors and different types of books. Many pupils read widely and often, and achieve well in reading.

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Mathematics teaching is improving. There is a clear structure to the mathematics curriculum. This helps pupils to develop confidence and work accurately with number and other aspects of mathematics. Pupils are also given regular opportunities to develop their reasoning skills and to use their mathematical knowledge and understanding to solve problems.

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Staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) take part in lessons successfully. These pupils are given the support they need so that they can learn alongside their classmates.

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Pupils learn exceptionally well in art and design. They enjoy finding out about famous artists and experience different art forms, such as painting, drawing and sculpture. As they move through the school, there is clear progression in pupils’ knowledge and skills development. The many high-quality pieces of pupils’ artwork that are displayed around the school are testament to the ambitious and stimulating art and design curriculum.

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Leaders have worked with teachers to create detailed plans for each subject in the curriculum. Teachers know what they are required to teach and when. However, teachers do not have a good enough understanding of how well pupils are learning in history. As a result, the work that they set often fails to build on what pupils already know.

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Pupils develop good attitudes to learning. They try their best and show good determination to succeed, particularly in English and mathematics. However, pupils’ positive attitudes are not reflected in the way in which they present their work in history, geography and religious education (RE). In these subjects, handwriting is often untidy and work poorly presented.

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The school offers pupils many opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. A wide range of after-school clubs are available, and pupils have several opportunities to go on residential trips. There are regular drama productions, many of which have benefited from the school’s close links with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

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Leadership is effective and staff are proud to work at the school. Those who responded to the staff survey said that they feel valued for the hard work they do.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that there are effective systems in place to safeguard pupils. Staff receive regular training in safeguarding matters and fully understand their safeguarding responsibilities. They know what action to take if they have any concerns about a pupil’s welfare or safety. 10–11 December 2019

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Leaders make appropriate checks on all adults who work with pupils in the school. The school’s safeguarding records are well maintained and stored securely.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have set out plans for what they want pupils to learn across the curriculum. However, in history, teachers do not check how well pupils are learning. As a result, teachers are not able to ensure that pupils’ knowledge builds effectively on prior learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment information more effectively to sequence learning that builds on what pupils already know.  Pupils’ handwriting and presentation in history, geography and RE are well below the standard seen in their English books. Teachers need to have higher expectations of the way in which pupils present their work in these subjects.

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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 on 22 and 23 September 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. 10–11 December 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. 10–11 December 2019

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School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Inspection number 10087905 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 Debbie Tomkinson

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School details

Website www.cherrygrove.cheshire.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22–23 September 2015

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new deputy headteacher has been appointed. There is also a new leader for pupils with SEND.

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Information about this inspection

 During this inspection, the following subjects were considered in depth: reading, mathematics and history. Inspection activities included: evaluation of curriculum planning; scrutiny of improvement plans; visits to lessons with leaders; scrutiny of pupils’ work; listening to pupils read; discussions with subject leaders and teachers; and discussions with pupils about their learning.  Discussions were held with the headteacher and other members of the school’s leadership team. I also met with members of the governing body and spoke with a representative of the local authority.  I met with subject leaders and the teacher who coordinates support for pupils with SEND. I also met with the early years leader.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed during lessons and at lunchtime. I also spoke to pupils about their experience of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. 10–11 December 2019

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 I looked at the school’s safeguarding records and the checks that leaders make on staff prior to them starting at the school. I reviewed pupils’ attendance. I also discussed safeguarding and behaviour when meeting with pupils and teachers.  I took account of the 66 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. I also considered the 19 responses to the staff survey and the 18 responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Paul Tomkow, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 10–11 December 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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