Sharpness Primary School

Inspection of Sharpness Primary School New Town, Berkeley, Gloucestershire GL13 9NU

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 5 and 6 October 2021

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being at this school. They feel safe and well looked after. They enjoy the range of exciting learning activities and after-school clubs. Staff encourage pupils to be physically and mentally fit and healthy. Pupils love running the fitness daily mile and enjoy the thrilling cheerleading sessions.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are guided by the school values of ‘SHARP’, which stands for ‘successful – happy – ambitious – responsible – proud’. Pupils show real respect for others. They are tolerant and accept each other’s differences.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in and around school is good. Pupils are well mannered and polite. They greet adults cheerily and show respect by standing back for adults at doors and entrances.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say bullying rarely happens. Parents and staff agree. They say that they can rely on adults to sort out problems with friendships. They know they can turn to an adult to support them at any time if they have any worries.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils engage well with their learning. They love to be challenged. Pupils can concentrate on their learning in class with very little distraction. They play a full part in the life of the school. They enjoy helping each other. This includes the pupil librarians. They encourage all pupils to read regularly and to use the school library.

p.2

better?

The headteacher encourages a strong set of school values. There is a committed and passionate staff team whose members work well together and learn from each other. They share high expectations and ambitions for each child. School leaders know the strengths and areas for development of the school well.

p.2

better?

The curriculum is well designed and clearly sets out the steps towards ongoing learning in each subject. Staff know what pupils need to know and remember across the curriculum. In the early years, children learn well from a carefully sequenced curriculum and appropriate adult support.

p.2

better?

Leaders have recently reviewed the curriculum in some subjects, for example in history. Pupils have not worked through the sequences of learning in these subjects. This means pupils have some gaps in their knowledge. There is a new assessment system in place for teachers to check what pupils know, can do and remember. However, teachers have not always used the information from their checks to accurately identify the gaps in knowledge or carefully plan the next steps for learning in these subjects.

p.2

better?

Staff spot quickly those pupils who fall behind. They ensure that pupils receive appropriate additional classroom support, or specific help, to catch up. Staff identify 5 and 6 October 2021

p.2

3

pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. Their needs are considered carefully by the special educational needs coordinator and school staff. Staff regularly monitor and review support plans to check that the right support is in place to help pupils.

p.3

3

The school prioritises reading and fosters a love of reading in the pupils. Pupils love listening to their teachers read the class novel. The teaching of phonics starts when children join the school in the early years. Pupils sound out the letters correctly. They put the sounds together to read well. This is having a good impact on their reading development.

p.3

3

Pupils understand and respect how staff help and encourage them to behave. Pupils say that when their behaviour falls short of expectation, staff expect them to ‘make up for it’.

p.3

3

Pupils’ personal development is well nurtured. Staff encourage pupils to be responsible and respectful citizens. For example, pupils learn important life skills, such as first aid.

p.3

3

Leaders promote fundamental British values alongside the school values. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures, although the curriculum for this aspect is less well developed than in other places. Pupils learn to respect differences.

p.3

3

Staff encourage pupils to eat healthily and to be physically active. They know what makes a healthy relationship. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe outside of school. They understand about the dangers of drug misuse and how to stay safe when online.

p.3

3

Governors know the school’s strengths and areas for development well. They have a clear and realistic vision for the future. Governors check that the correct improvements to the quality of education are made swiftly. Governors support and challenge the headteacher well.

p.3

3

The headteacher carefully considers staff workload. Staff feel that their well-being is taken into account. Staff feel that leaders do not ask them to complete tasks that are unnecessary or take a lot of time. Staff say they can approach the headteacher, who always supports them with sensitivity.

p.3

3

Pupils attend school regularly. Leaders regularly monitor attendance and follow up on any issues.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff receive appropriate training to help them recognise pupils at risk of harm. Pupils are well looked after. They feel safe in school. 5 and 6 October 2021

p.3

4

There are checks in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with pupils. Leaders refer concerns about pupils’ safety or well-being promptly to outside agencies. The headteacher is vigilant in following up action.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The broader curriculum has not been fully implemented. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders need to ensure that teachers use information gathered from assessment to plan next steps in learning based on what pupils know, can do and remember across the curriculum.  The curriculum to teach pupils an understanding of religious and cultural diversity is underdeveloped in places. Leaders should plan a coherent, wide and rich curriculum in this area to further enhance pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 5 and 6 October 2021

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10200944 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The current headteacher has been in post since shortly after the previous inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the chair of governors and the local authority improvement adviser.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, history, physical education and science.  Inspectors checked the single central record and scrutinised policies relating to safeguarding and behaviour. 5 and 6 October 2021

p.5

6

 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in class and at breaktimes.  Inspectors reviewed 28 responses to Parent View and 25 free-text comments.  Inspectors considered 8 responses to the survey for staff.  Inspectors listened to a range of pupils’ views through discussions with the pupil council and other groups of pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Martin Greenwood, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Julie Fox Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 October 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