Churwell Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Churwell Primary School Westwood Side, Churwell Morley, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS27 9HR

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Outcome

Churwell Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the school supports them to ‘learn, aspire and achieve’. They say they are proud of their school. Pupils say they feel safe and they learn about being safe such as, online and when riding a bike.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations of the way pupils learn. Pupils want to be ‘incredible indigo’ so they can celebrate with the headteacher. Many children like to be recognised as an ‘always child’. They achieve this award for working hard, being considerate and kind and behaving well. Pupils can take on different leadership roles. These include eco councillors and buddies for younger pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and courteous to adults and their peers. They have been working on the values of peace, thankfulness and respect. Pupils say bullying is rare and staff notice if it does happen. They help to repair relationships so pupils get on with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents say the school is a welcome place to be. They liked the bedtime reading event where they accompanied their child to school. Parents said the school gives children a firm foundation for learning. They know it helps their children when they move on to secondary school. However, despite the actions of leaders, a small number of parents expressed that they have not been listened to.

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

All pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study a well-balanced curriculum. Leaders have created plans to identify the sequence of learning. This helps pupils make connections between different subjects. They can remember what they have learned and how it helps them in new work. It is clear how learning builds each year. Staff and governors have high expectations for the school. They ensure that pupils have a variety of experiences that bring learning to life. 11–12 February 2020

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Leaders have made reading a priority across the school. Teachers help pupils to develop a love of reading. Pupils look forward to hearing staff read to them daily. They can retell the stories they have heard. Staff have been well trained to teach pupils to read. There is now a more consistent approach to phonics and early reading. Leaders have invested in books, which are now matched to the phonics they are using, to help them to read well. Yet, some older pupils have not yet become confident and fluent readers. This is despite the extra support they receive. Leaders have recently bought new books specifically for these pupils so that they can practise their reading. This has had a positive impact on their confidence.

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Pupils were enthusiastic about the many visits and trips they go on. These trips are linked to the interesting topics they study. In art they were looking at the work of an artist who painted seascapes. They were looking forward to a visit to the seaside before creating their own artwork. Pupils could talk at length about the different artists they have learned about. They said it helps them to remember information in other subjects. In a topic about Victorians, they saw examples of the paintings from this time. This helped them to appreciate what it was like to live in that period of history.

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Pupils liked to learn about the rainforest. They talked about the books they read. They know about the types of animals from South America. Some visitors brought in tarantulas, snakes, guinea pigs and geckos so they could see them.

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In mathematics, teachers have been well trained to help pupils to apply their knowledge to new learning. Leaders have developed the curriculum from Nursery to Year 6. They help pupils to link their knowledge by regularly revisiting past learning. Pupils use this knowledge in their current work. Their books show an immense pride in their work. They like to tackle difficult questions to test out their skills.

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Children in Nursery have a strong start. Staff are well trained in phonics and mathematics. They teach phonics from the very start. Children could identify when an object starts with the same letter as their own name. They learn to recognise numbers and how they can count objects. Pupils have a thorough grounding in number to prepare them for Year 1.

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Leaders have tried different strategies to encourage all pupils to attend school regularly. A small number of pupils need to attend more often. Leaders know they need to support families to send their children to school. There is still more to do to improve this.

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Leaders ensure that staff and pupils are well cared for. They encourage opportunities to focus on mental health and well-being. Staff and pupils appreciate this. They recognise that it is important to take care of their mental health.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make the relevant checks on all adults so they are safe to work with pupils. All staff are well trained to recognise the signs when pupils need help. Pupils and staff know who to speak to if they have a concern. Clear procedures are in place. Leaders take swift action to 11–12 February 2020

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engage the support from external agencies. Pupils say they feel safe in school. They know staff help them to be safe and deal with issues such as bullying straight away.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have ensured that staff have been trained this year to deliver phonics consistently, in response to declining numbers of pupils who meet the expected standard in the phonics screening check in Year 1. There are still some pupils in school who are not yet fluent or confident in their reading at the level they should be. Leaders need to ensure that any gaps in learning are tackled so these pupils can catch up quickly.  Overall attendance for the school is in line with national averages. However, there is still a cohort of disadvantaged pupils who need to attend school more often. Leaders need to find sustainable ways to reduce absence for this group of pupils.  Despite most parents being positive and highly complimentary about the school, there remains a small number of parents who are less positive. Leaders need to consider how they can build strong relationships to gain the support from these parents.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 11–12 January 2011.

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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.

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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 . 11–12 February 2020

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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. 11–12 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121848 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website http://www.churwell.leeds.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 June 2016

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-the-average-sized primary school.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 I met members of the governing body, the headteacher, deputy headteacher, phase leaders and the leader for SEND.  I met the local authority officer who provides support for the school.  I spoke to the school business manager to check the school central record. I looked at training records for staff for safeguarding. I had a meeting with the headteacher and three designated safeguarding leaders to consider the effectiveness of child protection and safeguarding procedures.  I met with curriculum leaders.  I considered the 97 results of the Ofsted online survey, Parent View.  I analysed the 37 responses to the online staff survey and spoke to staff who perform different roles across the school, including office staff, support staff, newly qualified teachers and trainee teachers. 11–12 February 2020

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 I analysed the results of 29 responses to the online pupil survey.  I spoke to pupils in lessons and around school to ask them about their learning and behaviour. I asked them how safe they feel in school.  I focused on reading and phonics, art and mathematics. I visited parts of lessons with curriculum leaders. I looked at examples of pupils’ work and heard pupils read. I looked at examples of the school’s work to provide opportunities for their wider development.  I considered school documentation including leaders’ evaluation of the school effectiveness, the school’s development plan and governors’ minutes of meetings.

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Inspection team

Louise Greatrex, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11–12 February 2020

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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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