Clunbury CofE Primary School

Inspection of Clunbury CofE Primary School Clunbury, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 0HE

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2021

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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 Requires improvement 21 and 22 September 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely happy coming to school. Staff work hard to keep pupils safe. Pupils have a good understanding of the dangers to their safety in the wider world. They learn about how to stay safe when using the internet.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of pupils. They always expect the best behaviour. Teachers expect the neatest handwriting in pupils’ books. As a result of this, pupils take pride in their work. They are polite and well mannered. Parents and teachers alike speak of pupils’ good behaviour. Pupils say there is no bullying. They say they enjoy coming to school to learn and play with their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents remark upon staff going the extra mile and nothing being too much trouble. The teachers are highly valued in the community for the work they do. Staff bring learning to life for pupils. They run exciting clubs to stretch young minds. The ‘Fungineers Club’ is well attended each week. Trips to places such as Millichope Park open pupils’ eyes to the endless possibilities in life to which they can aspire.

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better?

Since the last inspection, school leaders have overhauled the curriculum. What pupils learn is carefully thought out and linked together by highly skilled subject leaders. As a result of this, pupils now know more and remember more. For example, in a Year 6 science lesson, pupils used their knowledge of ice, water and evaporation learned in previous years to investigate the temperature at which water changes state. The school curriculum builds sequentially from the early years to Year 6. A revised mathematics curriculum is now in place to help pupils focus more on basic skills. However, some subject leaders who are relatively new to their roles are not checking upon learning well enough. As a result, they are not able to identify precisely what is going well and what needs further improvement.

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better?

Reading is the most important priority in school for leaders and teachers. The teaching of phonics is effective. Pupils start learning the sounds that letters make as soon as they start school. The phonics teaching programme is carefully structured to support learning. Pupils build successfully upon what they have learned before. Staff quickly identify those who fall behind and provide additional support so they catch up rapidly. Reading books are well matched to pupils’ needs. Leaders have identified high-quality texts which pupils will read during their time at school. These books explore themes such as diversity and aspiration. They also include traditional stories and fairy tales. Readers enjoy their exposure to a wealth of literature. During story time, teachers bring books to life for pupils.

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better?

Pupils enjoy being creative and imaginative in lessons such as art. Pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong. Trips to places like the Hobgoblin Theatre in Bucknell give pupils rich cultural experiences beyond the curriculum. Older pupils speak with knowledge and passion about composers and pianists, such as George Gershwin. 21 and 22 September 2021

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The forest school is well used to support learning. Children in the early years were looking forward to using magnetised paper clips to create an outdoor compass in the forest school during the inspection. Teachers use checks on pupils’ learning at appropriate times to help shape future learning. Young children begin to learn historical vocabulary that leaves them well prepared to study history when they join Year 1.

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Teachers and other adults provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders work closely with a range of external agencies to enable these pupils to thrive in school. As a result, pupils with SEND learn successfully in classrooms alongside other pupils.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They are polite and respectful of others. Behaviour and relationships in the classroom contribute positively to learning.

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The school is well led and managed. The school’s vision statement underpins all aspects of school life ‘Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their lives.’ This is at the core of all learning in school. Leaders have worked successfully to reduce staff’s workload. Governors maintain clear strategic oversight of the school. Senior leaders and governors know the strengths and weaknesses in school. They have already started to strengthen how subject leaders monitor the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The training of leaders and all staff is up to date. The designated safeguarding lead ensures vulnerable pupils receive the support they need. All staff are aware of what to do if there are any concerns about pupils’ welfare. Leaders undertake the correct checks before staff begin working at the school. Records of these checks are comprehensive and up to date.

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Safeguarding

Governors check regularly on safeguarding processes to ensure they remain robust.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe as part of the curriculum. Pupils are vigilant about the risks they may face currently and in the future.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some new subject leaders do not check how well their subjects are being taught. As a result, they are not able to identify what is going well and what could be 21 and 22 September 2021

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better. Leaders should provide support and training to subject leaders so they monitor and further improve their subjects.

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How can I feedback my views?

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

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How can I feedback my views?

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

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How can I feedback 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. 21 and 22 September 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.clunburyschool.org.uk Date of previous inspection 14 and 15 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The most recent section 48 inspection of this Church of England school, which is an inspection of the school’s religious character, took place in May 2015. The next section 48 inspection should take place this academic year.  Clunbury School is part of the Blue Hills Federation, with two neighbouring primary schools.  The school does not use any registered or unregistered alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher and senior colleagues from the Blue Hills Federation. They met with the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and curriculum subject leaders. Inspectors also met with teachers 21 and 22 September 2021

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from across all year groups. They also met with a representative of the local authority and the chair of the governing body, plus five other governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and music. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors listened to pupils reading and looked at pupils’ work and documentation to understand the quality of education.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed school policies, procedures and records. They spoke with the executive headteacher, who is also one of the designated safeguarding leads. Inspectors also spoke to staff, governors and pupils about the school’s approach to keeping pupils safe.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  Inspectors considered 21 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including 20 free-text comments.  Inspectors considered the views of staff from meetings with groups of staff and from the 12 staff who responded to the confidential questionnaire.  There were no responses to the questionnaire for pupils.

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Inspection team

Declan McCauley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sally Noble Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 September 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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