Morgan's Vale and Woodfalls Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Morgan’s Vale and Woodfalls Church of England Primary School Morgans Vale Road, Redlynch, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 2HU

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Outcome

Morgan’s Vale and Woodfalls Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are at the centre of this inclusive village school. Leaders have high expectations of what everyone can achieve. The school’s values underpin the way that pupils work together and respect one another. Pupils say this is their ‘second home’. Parents and carers overwhelmingly support this view.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is demonstrated in their high rates of attendance. Pupils talk enthusiastically of the wide range of opportunities provided for them. They understand how the school supports their personal development and well-being. Pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite, confident, and mature. They behave well in lessons and around the school site. They know that the school does not accept bullying in any form. Pupils are sensitive to the needs of others. They say that if bullying were to happen, it would be managed well by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a positive contribution to the community. In particular, the school has strong links with the local church. Leaders ensure that a variety of activities and visits are planned regularly that broaden pupils’ experiences beyond their locality. This approach is highly valued by both pupils and parents alike.

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

The school continues to provide a good education. Ambition is high and shared across the whole-school community. Staff value the leadership of the headteacher. They recognise his passion to do the best for every child and state that this gives them inspiration. Staff morale is high. 17 June 2021

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Reading is prioritised across the school. Younger pupils learn to read well through the consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. They are exposed to an assortment of stories, rhymes, and songs to develop their communication skills. Staff are well trained and take every opportunity through the school day to support and check pupils’ phonic knowledge. Books are matched to the letters and sounds pupils are learning. Careful grouping and assessment of pupils ensures staff can identify when pupils need extra support. As a result, pupils are developing into competent and confident readers.

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Pupils enjoy reading. They read widely and often. Older pupils told us that books, ‘draw you into new worlds and reading keeps our minds happy’. Pupils talked about the many different types of stories they encounter. They understand why it is important to be able to read. Staff read to pupils every day. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities talk positively about the books they read.

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The nursery setting provides children with opportunities to explore and develop their language and communication, and their physical and small-muscle skills. Staff support children’s language development by asking questions and repeating phrases to check their understanding. Children make links to prior learning. For example, children had created a ‘bug hotel’ as part of their learning on minibeasts. A child recognised that a spider is a minibeast and placed the spider in the bug hotel. Children in the early years discuss what they are doing with enthusiasm and confidence.

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The well-planned mathematics curriculum ensures high levels of pupil engagement. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure that pupils have a secure knowledge of number. Pupils use their knowledge to confidently answer problem-solving and reasoning questions. They say they enjoy mathematics and value opportunities to take part in external events and competitions. Currently, Year 5 pupils are undertaking a project to develop their application of mathematics to real-life situations by running a small business venture.

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The school continues to provide exciting and memorable experiences that support pupils’ development. Despite the challenges of national restrictions, older pupils recently returned from a residential trip. Pupils value such experiences and talk about them positively. The school effectively develops pupils’ character, resilience, and well-being through structured personal, social, emotional, health and economic education. Pupils understand the importance of tolerance and respect.

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Pupils behave well. They understand what is expected of them and want to do their best. Pupils know that staff will help them with any concerns they may have. They know the different forms bullying can take and can distinguish between this and minor disagreements they may have with their friends.

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Some subjects within the wider curriculum are not planned as well as others. For example, in history, not all pupils have a secure understanding of chronology. Pupils’ work in books shows that learning jumps between different periods of history. As a result, pupils are not developing their knowledge and understanding of people and events in history securely enough. Leaders recognise the need to identify the key knowledge pupils should know and by when. 17 June 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff act in the best interests of keeping pupils safe. Effective policies and procedures are in place. Staff are quick to act upon concerns raised. Leaders keep detailed records of the actions taken and follow up when necessary. Staff have received training about the various risks that pupils may face.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations. For example, they can explain, in detail, how to stay safe online. They know who to go to if they have concerns or worries. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum supports pupils’ understanding of risk.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Subject leaders have not planned the content and sequencing of some subjects within the wider curriculum well enough. Therefore, it is not clear what pupils should know and by when so that they can build their knowledge over time. Leaders need to identify, sequence, and plan key knowledge and concepts so that pupils know and remember more of the curriculum.

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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 outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good 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 predecessor school to be good on 20 February 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. 17 June 2021

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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 here .

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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. 17 June 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10196711 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 23 February 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school with an on-site nursery provision.  The school is a Church of England voluntary-aided school. It is part of the Diocese of Salisbury. Its last section 48 inspection took place in 2017.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school, and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, and groups of staff. The lead inspector met with representatives from the governing body.  An inspector spoke to some parents.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2, 3, and 4 read to an adult. 17 June 2021

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 Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and history. They talked to teachers who lead these subjects. They visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke with pupils to discuss their views about the school.  Inspectors considered 22 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, including 22 free-text responses, 44 responses to the pupil online survey and 13 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Heather Barraclough, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Marie Thomas Her Majesty’s Inspector 17 June 2021

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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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