Cadbury Heath Primary School

Inspection of Cadbury Heath Primary School Lintern Crescent, Warmley, Bristol, South Gloucestershire BS30 8GB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 29–30 January 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

There have been many staff changes at Cadbury Heath, including changes to leadership. This instability has had a detrimental impact. The school is currently led by an interim headteacher. Staff at all levels, as well as pupils, welcome her presence around the school and the sense of purpose she brings.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe and say that adults take good care of them. Pupils’ joy of learning is plain to see. They do not give up if they find something difficult. Adults have high expectations for how pupils conduct themselves in and around school. Pupils are polite and show respect for each other. Older pupils look after younger pupils at lunchtime and include them in their games.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is inconsistency in how teachers organise the curriculum. In some year groups the curriculum lacks ambition. This means that some pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not always reach their full potential.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are adamant that bullying is rare. They have a good understanding of the different types of bullying. They say that if bullying did occur then staff would ‘sort it out’.

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better?

The quality of education requires improvement. Nevertheless, the interim headteacher, her deputy and senior leaders are ambitious for pupils. They are beginning to think about how to organise their curriculum to be more effective. The curriculum leaders in English and mathematics are making a strong contribution to these developments. They are getting to grips with planning a curriculum with the precision needed.

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better?

Leaders have not thought through well enough what pupils should learn by the end of each year. They have not made sure that their ambition for pupils, including those with SEND, are realised with all staff. As a result, pupils’ work across the school is inconsistent.

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better?

Leaders have made sure that there are clear plans in place so that everyone reads well. Pupils read every day. They enjoy the class novels. Those pupils who join the school with weak reading skills receive help to catch up. Children in the early years get off to a great start. They quickly secure the skills they need to be confident readers. Their reading skills get better as they move through the school.

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better?

Teachers in most year groups ensure that pupils understand what they need to know before they progress. For instance, pupils in Years 2 and 6 are able to interpret the meaning of unfamiliar words in the books they read. This is because teaching builds up pupils’ knowledge of language in increasingly difficult books. 29–30 January 2020

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Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts. Teachers build on this understanding by leading pupils into solving ambitious mathematical problems.

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Leaders have not been so good at making sure that subject plans in writing and in mathematics are being followed in all year groups. In some classes, teachers have been following their own plans. This does not build well on what pupils have already learnt. There have been instances in which plans for pupils with SEND are not well executed. The new headteacher is aware and has begun to take urgent action.

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Leaders have not enhanced pupils’ experiences. Although pupils have some understanding of other faiths and cultures, their knowledge is weak across different year groups. This is because leaders have not had a clear and consistent approach to pupils’ personal development through the wider curriculum.

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The early years curriculum is well thought out. This helps children to develop the fundamental building blocks across all areas of learning. There is a focus on developing children’s early reading skills right from the start. Well-selected mathematical resources help children to practise counting and recognise numbers. Teachers are ambitious for children. They make sure that adults work with any children who are not keeping up. As a result, most children are well prepared for Year 1.

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The interim headteacher is building a team of dedicated staff. They are learning from each other and from the support provided by the local authority. Staff say that they feel respected and appreciated by leaders. They also say that leaders take full account of their welfare when making decisions. Governors are playing their part too. They recognise that the school has not done as well as it should have in recent years.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that appropriate pre-employment checks in place. Leaders ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They make certain that pupils can access a wealth of information on keeping themselves safe. Staff are well trained to make sure that pupils are safe and protected. They are alert to any signs that a pupil may be at risk. They report any concerns to the right people straight away. The safeguarding team work well with outside agencies and follow up any concerns with thoroughness and speed. They make sure that these pupils receive the right support they need. 29–30 January 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum plans are not ambitious enough. The planned provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has been erratic. Senior leaders, including governors, need to ensure that a clearly thought through curriculum, encompassing pupils’ personal development, is constructed and delivered.  In writing and mathematics, the curriculum is more organised. Plans identify the knowledge and skills that pupils should gain over time. In some classes these carefully thought through plans are not being followed. Leaders need to ensure that plans for all subjects are being implemented.  The special education needs coordinator (SENCo) has a good knowledge and understanding of the needs of pupils with SEND. She has made sure that precise plans have been drawn up to support these pupils. These plans have not been carried out with the rigour that they should have. Leaders need to make sure that

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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 are the school and you are 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. 29–30 January 2020

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is currently being led by an interim headteacher. A substantive headteacher is planned to be appointed to the school in February 2020. A high number of teachers have left or joined the school since the previous inspection.

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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

 The inspectors met with the interim headteacher, senior leaders and staff responsible for areas of the school’s curriculum. Inspectors also met with the chair of the governing body and four other governors. The lead inspector held a discussion with two officers from the local authority.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentary evidence. This included the school’s evaluation of its own performance and plans for improvement. Various documents related to safeguarding, including the single central record, were looked at.  An inspector spoke with parents at the end of the school day and gathered views and took account of the 46 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. 29–30 January 2020

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The inspectors received 51 free-text responses and 13 responses to the staff survey.  We undertook deep dives in these subjects: reading, writing, mathematics, and religious education. This entailed discussions with subject leaders, visits to lessons, looking at examples of work, discussions with teachers, discussions with pupils and listening to pupils read.

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Inspection team

Michael Merchant, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Adam Matthews Ofsted Inspector 29–30 January 2020

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