Capel St Mary Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspection of Capel St Mary Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School The Street, Capel St Mary, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 2EG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good School 10–11 March 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel proud to attend this thriving, happy school and they enjoy learning. Staff have high expectations. Most of the time, pupils work with determination and a commitment to do well. The school’s mission for every child to come to school to ‘care, achieve, persevere, enjoy and learn’ is understood by everyone.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the building is calm and orderly. Pupils are polite and thoughtful in their actions. They are kind and considerate towards one another, taking account of other people’s feelings. Bullying is extremely rare. Pupils show an interest in different faiths and cultures, fostering a respect for each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to broaden their experiences beyond the core curriculum. They participate in a range of sports, enjoy performing in front of others and attend clubs. They go on lots of trips, including residential visits, and this enriches their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum helps pupils understand the importance of tolerance and equality. Pupils can become school councillors and sports councillors and join the children’s university. These opportunities help build character and develop confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They understand how to keep themselves fit and healthy. Pupils understand the importance of their physical and mental well-being.

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better?

Leaders and governors have been extremely effective in making improvements following the previous inspection. Reading and attainment had dipped in 2018 but have since recovered. Working closely with governors, the leadership team successfully implemented clear plans to improve the school. These improvements are being maintained. Pupils are doing well and making good progress.

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better?

Leaders have high expectations and share the same strong ambition for all pupils. They make sure that pupils are given work that makes them think hard. Leaders are well on the way to securing a well-planned curriculum. In some subjects, this work is already having a positive impact. In others, there is more work to be done to ensure that pupils learn as much as they can. Also, many curriculum leaders are new to their roles. They have not all had enough training or support to help them lead their subjects as well as they could.

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better?

Reading is well planned in all classes, including for younger pupils. Staff are well trained in the teaching of phonics. Younger learners take home books that match the sounds they learn in class. Teachers place a strong emphasis on increasing pupils’ vocabulary. Pupils in key stage 2 go on to develop secure reading skills. Teachers select books that spark pupils’ interest. Pupils develop a love of reading. They talk excitedly about the books they have enjoyed. By the time pupils leave the school, they read very well and are ready for the challenges of secondary school. School 10–11 March 2020

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Senior leaders have made excellent use of the additional support the school has received from the local authority. Leaders have provided teachers with appropriate training, which has raised expectations and improved subject knowledge. The school’s planned curriculum is taught well. When teaching new concepts, teachers give clear explanations. Teachers design activities that help pupils to learn well, matching these carefully to pupils’ abilities. Teachers ask questions to check that pupils have understood what they are trying to learn. Teachers correct pupils swiftly when misunderstandings arise. This helps build pupils’ understanding securely over time. As a result, pupils are motivated to work hard. They show interest in their learning, behave well and concentrate on their work.

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Leaders have given careful consideration to the planning of the early years curriculum. They have created an environment where children explore new things confidently and curiously. Children persevere with the tasks they undertake, showing interest and enthusiasm. Adults provide nurturing care and clear routines that support children effectively. As a result, children do well during their time in Reception and Nursery.

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Leaders have a keen understanding of the challenges faced by pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that pupils can fully access what they are trying to learn. Staff give pupils plenty of time to practise and remember what they have learned.

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There are plenty of rich opportunities to enhance pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn a great deal about the world around them. Pupils learn to be respectful of different faiths and cultures, for example by visiting places of worship such as the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London.

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Teachers enjoy working at Capel St Mary. Leaders do all they can to help staff maintain a healthy work–life balance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular training for staff so that everyone understands their safeguarding responsibilities. If adults are concerned about a pupil, they report this quickly and effectively. Leaders respond promptly to the information they receive. Leaders keep detailed and well-organised records. Leaders make referrals to external agencies when necessary.

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Safeguarding

Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. They learn about the risks they face when using the internet, and how to manage these. Pupils know that they should report anything that concerns them to an adult. School 10–11 March 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have started to draw up plans to improve the sequencing of knowledge and skills across the wider curriculum. In some subjects, this work is already having a positive impact on learning. In other subjects, new schemes are still at an early stage. This means that pupils do not always make as much progress as they should. Leaders should ensure that this work is completed and they should closely monitor the impact to ensure that all pupils are appropriately challenged.  Many curriculum leaders are new to their roles and they are at different stages of professional development. This means that there are inconsistencies in the quality of support they are able to give to teachers. Governors and senior leaders have implemented a programme of professional development and training for curriculum leaders; however, this work now needs to be given a higher priority.

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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. School 10–11 March 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121393 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.capel-st-mary.suffolk.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Capel St Mary CE VC Primary School is a Church of England voluntary-controlled primary school located in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The religious character of the school was inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in January 2017 and was judged to be good.  The school is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is higher than average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is much lower than average.

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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

 As part of this inspection, we held discussions with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, curriculum leaders, teachers and support staff.  We met with governors, including the chair and the vice-chair. School 10–11 March 2020

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 We spoke on the telephone with the standards and excellence officer from the local authority  Reading, writing, mathematics, science and geography were considered in depth as part of this inspection. To understand the quality of education, we visited lessons, scrutinised work in pupils’ books and met with teachers and pupils.  To inspect the school’s safeguarding arrangements, we spoke to the designated safeguarding leaders, members of staff, parents and carers, and pupils. We checked the single central record and a sample of safeguarding records.  We observed playtime and lunchtime and spoke to pupils about their school experiences.  We considered the 67 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  We gathered the views of parents on the playground before school. We also analysed the 85 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 38 free-text comments.  We considered the nine responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Nick Rudman, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lesley Daniel Ofsted Inspector School 10–11 March 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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