St Keyna Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Keyna Primary School Monmouth Road, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 2JP

p.1

Inspection dates: 28 and 29 September 2021

p.1

Outcome

St Keyna Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are at the heart of this happy and inclusive school. Leaders and staff provide a safe and nurturing climate for pupils to learn. Pupils are respectful of each other and all adults. They say, ‘we are a working team; we do things together.’

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Through the curriculum, pupils learn the importance of treating people fairly, regardless of their backgrounds or differences. The equalities team, made up of pupils and staff, plans events throughout the year to inspire the school community to embrace diversity. Pupils are well prepared for living in the wider world.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with complex needs, behave well. They understand and follow the school’s ‘Ammonite Code’ for behaviour. Bullying is not an issue. Pupils are clear that if it did happen, leaders would sort it out quickly.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff share the same high expectations for pupils’ academic and personal success. They are skilled at providing pupils with the right type of support to ensure that they learn well. Parents and carers are fully supportive of the school’s work. Many commented positively on the care and individual support pupils receive from staff.

p.1

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

Leaders pay close attention to early reading. Their revised approach to the teaching of phonics is paying off. In early years, staff immerse children in songs, rhymes and stories. Most start in the Reception class able to hear and recognise letter sounds. Leaders have mapped out ambitious end-points that they expect pupils to reach by the end of Year 2. Staff use regular checks to identify pupils who are not keeping up. These pupils receive extra lessons from well-trained staff to build their confidence and fluency in reading. As a result, pupils are catching up quickly.

p.1

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

Leaders have worked with determination to develop a positive reading culture across the whole school from Nursery through to Year 6. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about their 28 and 29 September 2021

p.1

2

love of reading, both in school and at home. Teachers encourage them to read widely and often. Pupils enjoy sharing book recommendations and taking part in the school’s reading challenge programme.

p.2

2

There is a mathematics curriculum in place that is clearly thought out. Pupils enjoy lessons and take pride in their work. In Reception, children are confident in counting forwards and backwards. Teachers use rhymes and books to help consolidate mathematical concepts. Leaders have considered carefully what to prioritise following the disruption caused by COVID-19. For example, they have identified gaps in pupils’ recall of number facts. There are now extra arithmetic sessions for pupils to revisit important content. Pupils say that this is helping them to get better at mathematics.

p.2

2

Since the previous inspection, leaders have identified that the wider curriculum needed strengthening. They have worked hard to put together an engaging and ambitious curriculum from Reception to Year 6. Leaders and teachers have planned what they want pupils to learn. However, leaders do not break learning down into small enough steps for each year group in some subjects. Therefore, it is not always clear how knowledge and skills build over time. This makes it more challenging for leaders to assess how well pupils are progressing.

p.2

2

The school’s inclusion team has an in-depth understanding of the pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The team is ambitious that these pupils have the same opportunities as others. Adults are highly skilled at providing the right support for those with the greatest level of need. A well-planned nurture programme is successful at helping pupils manage their feelings and emotions. Consequently, learning in lessons is largely free from any disruption. Many parents praise the school’s inclusive approach.

p.2

2

Pupils are growing into responsible citizens. Leaders provide frequent opportunities to develop pupils’ personal skills. Staff take a keen interest in celebrating pupils’ individuality. Pupils can describe how the curriculum teaches them about healthy relationships and making a difference in the world.

p.2

2

Governors are well informed of the school’s priorities. They work closely with leaders to oversee the school’s provision for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Governors continue to keep a check on the workload and well-being of all staff.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Leaders have strong systems in place to check that adults are suitable to work with pupils. Staff are knowledgeable. They understand their role in keeping pupils safe. Leaders provide a thorough training plan to ensure that all adults know how to spot and report concerns. Staff place importance on supporting pupils’ emotional well-being. They are quick to involve a range of agencies to provide pupils and families with the help they need. 28 and 29 September 2021

p.2

3

Pupils feel safe in school. They know why it is important to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum plans tell teachers the important content and knowledge that pupils need to learn. However, on some plans, it is not made explicit enough how pupils build on and use what has been taught before. Leaders need to ensure that staff are clear about how new knowledge builds on previous learning.  Staff use assessment well in English and mathematics. However, leaders are continuing to develop the use of assessment in other subjects. Leaders need to develop how teachers assess what pupils have learned across all subjects, so that they know more and remember more of the curriculum over time.

p.3

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, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2016.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

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 .

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 28 and 29 September 2021

p.3

4

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. 28 and 29 September 2021

p.4

School details

Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

Date of previous inspection

15 and 16 March 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The headteacher and inclusion leader are new to post since the previous inspection.  The chair of governors took up post in September 2020.  The school has on-site Nursery provision.  There is a breakfast club for pupils who attend the school.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders, and has taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, inclusion leader and the chair of governors. The inspector spoke with the school improvement adviser.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, art and design, and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspector 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 work. 28 and 29 September 2021

p.5

6

 The inspector also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects, including personal, social and health education.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  The inspector scrutinised the school’s safeguarding documentation, including the single central record. The inspector considered how well safeguarding leaders act on concerns about pupils’ welfare and safety. The inspector talked to pupils and staff about safe working practices.  The inspectors considered 39 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 27 free-text responses, and 28 responses to the staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Dale Burr, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 28 and 29 September 2021

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7