Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School Bridewell Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1RE

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Outcome

Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since the previous inspection, staff have continued to ensure that pupils are well cared for. Staff know pupils well. One parent summed up the views of many in saying that the school is a ‘happy, safe and fun place for my child to learn’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They study a range of subjects through the school’s chosen topic approach. For example, pupils in Year 6 speak enthusiastically about the ‘crime and punishment’ theme. Pupils particularly like art, where they say they can ‘let their imagination run wild’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities for pupils to be leaders. They take on responsibilities such as being junior road safety officers or school councillors. They take these roles seriously and know that they are expected to be good role models to others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well. Behaviour in the playground is busy yet well managed. Pupils get on well together. Pupils who find it difficult to manage their behaviour are given the help that they need.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand what bullying is. They say that bullying rarely happens. Pupils are confident that teachers will deal with it quickly if it ever happens. Pupils say they can talk to an adult if they are worried about anything.

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

Since her appointment, the headteacher has gained a detailed understanding of what is working well and what needs to be better. Leaders are bringing about the necessary improvements to the quality of education that pupils receive. Staff are positive about the recent changes. Morale is high and teachers enjoy working at the school. Staff share the headteacher’s high expectations for what pupils can achieve. 4–5 March 2020

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Leaders have improved the quality of education. They have carefully considered what they want pupils to learn. Links, including subject specialists at the local college, have helped leaders to design a curriculum which develops pupils’ skills and knowledge over time. This includes opportunities to learn about the local community, for example in history. Pupils’ work across the curriculum is of a good standard.

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Leaders have placed a strong focus on reading. Pupils have developed a love of reading. They have access to interesting books from the school library, which they enjoy. Children in the Reception Year begin learning phonics when they start school. Adults teach phonics effectively. They give pupils who are struggling to learn phonics well-judged extra help. This ensures that these pupils close the gaps that they have in their phonics knowledge.

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Teachers have good knowledge of a range of subjects due to the high-quality training they receive. They use this well to plan and teach the curriculum. For example, in writing, teachers make sure that sequences of learning are ordered well for pupils to build on skills they have already learned. However, some teachers are not giving pupils work that is demanding enough. Pupils enjoy a challenge. One pupil said, ‘When we are not challenged, we are not learning.’

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Leadership roles are evolving across the school. Senior leaders have provided clear direction so that all leaders understand what is expected of them. That said, a few leaders are new to their role and have not developed the range of skills and knowledge they need.

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Most parents are happy with the improvements that leaders have made, particularly the better communication between school and home. Parents report that they know more about their child’s progress and what is happening within school.

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Leaders make sure that pupils’ personal development is enriched by many interesting activities and opportunities. For example, pupils learn how to stay safe, and they take part in the clubs and fundraising activities on offer. Pupils have a good understanding of British values and how they link to the school values. Pupils use the school values in their day-to- day life.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive appropriate support. They are fully included in all aspects of school life. Staff know pupils’ needs well. Most pupils with SEND who have fallen behind catch up due to the good quality of support that they receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant and well trained. Daily morning meetings ensure that staff are regularly updated and well informed about issues relating to pupils’ well-being. Adults know pupils well and are quick to identify and report any signs that may indicate a pupil is at risk of harm. 4–5 March 2020

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Staff know the procedure for recording and monitoring concerns and use it appropriately. The safeguarding team is quick to follow up issues and take appropriate action. Members of this team work closely with relevant agencies so that pupils get the support that they need.

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Governors ensure that the school’s safeguarding procedures are effective. They monitor leaders’ actions to be certain that the correct checks are made on everyone who works in the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some leaders are at an early stage of taking responsibility for a subject. They are enthusiastic and keen to develop their subjects further. Senior leaders should continue to provide new leaders with the support that they need. This will ensure that they develop the skills and knowledge they need to be highly effective in their role and hold others to account.  Teachers use assessment to inform their teaching. For example, in mathematics, teachers use their assessment information to inform their teaching, check pupils’ understanding and identify pupils who need further support. However, on occasion, some teachers provide work that is not challenging enough. This leads to pupils not fully engaging in their learning. Teachers should ensure that work is suitably demanding so that pupils achieve well.

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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 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 17–18 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. 4–5 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. 4–5 March 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121456 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 May 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Guildhall Feoffment was originally a first school. It became a primary school in September 2017.  There has been a considerable amount of building work completed recently, due to the increase in pupil numbers.  There have been several changes to the senior leadership team since the previous inspection. The current headteacher joined the school in September 2019.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher, who is also the leader of provision for disadvantaged pupils. I also met with the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), and five governors.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. In each subject, I visited lessons, scrutinised work in pupils’ books and held discussions with subject leaders, teachers and pupils.  I observed pupils’ behaviour and spoke with pupils to gather their views of the school. I also reviewed school information related to pupils’ behaviour and attendance. 4–5 March 2020

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, I reviewed the school’s policies and procedures. I also met with the designated safeguarding leader to review the actions taken to keep children safe. I spoke with staff to check that they understand the school procedures.  I took into account the views of the eight members of staff who completed Ofsted’s questionnaire, including five written responses.  I considered 89 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including 88 free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Rachel Welch, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 4–5 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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