Covingham Park Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Covingham Park Primary School The Harriers, Covingham Park, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 5BD

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Outcome

Covingham Park Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a united community. Pupils strive to ‘put a brick in the community wall’, for example by being a good friend or listening to others. The quality of pupils’ work shows they are striving to meet the school’s aspiration for them to ‘be the best you can be’. Staff are proud of being a close team and have confidence in the school’s leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like it when teachers give them time to explore their learning in depth. For example, there are impressive displays of pupils’ plans, models and design and technology homework. This term pupils are enjoying the school’s focus on art.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the visits and clubs that teachers arrange for them. For example, when learning starts with a visit, it helps to spark pupils’ interest in new learning. Pupils enjoy theme days, such as world mathematics day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe. Pupils behave well in class and move around the school sensibly. They are very good at working together. They say that sometimes football causes arguments on the playground, but they know how to get help. They agree staff listen to both sides if there is a falling out. The school tackles any incidents of bullying swiftly.

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

Leaders have agreed what pupils need to learn year on year. There are detailed plans for all curriculum subjects. All teachers follow the curriculum plans. Subject leaders advise and support teachers to teach their subject well. They know where teachers have strong knowledge of individual subjects, for example art in key stage 1. Nevertheless, leaders also identify where more guidance is needed to help teachers to deepen pupils’ understanding. There is not yet a clear picture of how and when additional training in each subject area will be delivered.

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

The development of the mathematics curriculum has been a high priority for the school. Most pupils learn well in mathematics, including in Reception. Pupils enter key stage 1 3–4 March 2020

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confident in their mathematical knowledge. Many pupils are particularly confident in explaining their mathematical thinking. However, in the past there was less emphasis on solving mathematical word problems. This means that Year 6 pupils are needing to catch up on this learning. This aspect of the mathematics curriculum is beginning to become more demanding for pupils. However, it is early days.

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Children in the early years learn phonics quickly. In Year 1, pupils who have fallen behind get extra reading sessions to ensure they catch up. However, some pupils learn more than others because there are some inconsistencies in how the phonics programme is delivered. Across key stage 2, teachers help pupils understand how different information can be found in what they read. Teachers help pupils understand unfamiliar vocabulary so that reading is meaningful. Teachers and leaders prioritise reading high-quality literature to pupils. Pupils enjoy this and remember the texts they read.

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In science, there are clear plans of what should be taught and when. Pupils revise previous learning. Pupils in key stage 1 frequently use their scientific knowledge to find things out and draw conclusions. For example, pupils in Year 2 concluded that ‘woodlice are most likely to be found under logs’. However, the implementation of the science curriculum is less effective in key stage 2. Pupils do cover the curriculum, and learn new things, but they do not build the depth of knowledge they should. This hinders their ability to remember what they have learned over time.

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Teachers ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) take a full part in class lessons. Pupils’ individualised targets are kept up to date. Pupils catch up through well-planned additional learning. Pupils’ emotional and learning needs are met well.

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Leaders and teachers follow a well-planned programme to support pupils’ personal development. Leaders have updated the curriculum to make it more relevant. For example, they have strengthened pupils’ cultural development. Pupils agree that they are taught to respect different faiths. The school also has extensive help on hand for pupils when they need it. Staff support pupils’ mental health well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school has a team of safeguarding leaders who respond quickly and seek help if they believe a pupil is at risk of harm. They are knowledgeable about local systems of support for families. They regularly update staff on matters of safeguarding. Staff report concerns promptly using the school’s agreed procedures.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant. They look out for pupils who could need more support. They have received an award for work with young carers. The records of checks carried out on adults who work with staff are complete and well recorded. 3–4 March 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have identified that additional staff training is required in some curriculum subjects. However, there is not yet a clear plan of how and when this staff training will take place. This means that some current pupils are not gaining the depth of knowledge they should in every subject. Leaders need to provide staff with the training they need, so that all staff implement the curriculum consistently well in every subject.  The delivery of the science curriculum is not sufficiently effective in every year group. Older pupils do not remember what they have learned well enough. Leaders need to develop teachers’ subject knowledge, including in scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn and remember the depth of knowledge they should.  Leaders’ work to ensure that the mathematics curriculum is demanding enough for all pupils in key stage 2 is developing. Some pupils in Year 6 need to catch up on learning

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

about solving mathematical problems. High attaining pupils do not have enough practice to deepen and apply their mathematical knowledge. Leaders need to ensure that the mathematics curriculum is demanding enough, especially for the highest attaining pupils, so that they excel in mathematics.  The school’s agreed approach to teaching early reading is not applied consistently. Some pupils learn more than others. Leaders should ensure that all staff delivering the phonics programme use the school’s most effective approaches so that all pupils use and apply their knowledge of phonics well to read accurately.

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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 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 in February 2016.

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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. 3–4 March 2020

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

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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. 3–4 March 2020

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection February 2016

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Information about this school

 A higher-than-average proportion of pupils with SEND attend the school. There is also a higher proportion of pupils than average with an education, health and care plan.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the school’s improvement adviser and the adviser from the reading hub. I held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority. I also met with the chair and vice-chair of the governing body.  I reviewed the school’s documentation in respect of safeguarding and spoke to staff about their safeguarding roles.  I observed pupils’ behaviour around the school site, including at lunchtime. I spoke to pupils about their work. I also met with a group of pupils to gather their views about the school. I considered the 46 responses to the pupil survey.  I took account of the 39 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the comments parents made. I spoke to parents as they collected their children from school. I also reviewed the school’s own recent parent survey. 3–4 March 2020

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 I met with a group of staff to discuss their workload and took account of the 20 responses to the staff survey.  I held a meeting with the school’s leader for pupils with SEND.  I did deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, science and art. I reviewed the curriculum documents, visited classes, scrutinised pupils’ work and held discussions with leaders, staff and pupils. I also listened to pupils read.

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Inspection team

Wendy Marriott, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3–4 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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