Stoke Bishop Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Stoke Bishop Church of England Primary School Cedar Park, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, Bristol BS9 1BW

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 October 2021

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Outcome

Stoke Bishop 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 very happy and feel safe. They attend school regularly and enjoy coming to learn. Staff do everything they can to provide a rich, engaging and purposeful environment for pupils. For example, pupils in Year 4 recently celebrated their learning about the Roman Empire and its impact on early Britain. They dressed as Romans and learned about the daily life of a Roman citizen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations and pupils respond well to these. There is a culture of trust and respect that permeates the school. There are close links with the neighbouring church. These links were hugely beneficial during the national lockdowns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic as church leaders helped to maintain a bond with the local community. Youth workers associated with the church continue to join pupils at lunchtime. They listen to pupils and help them if they have concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the moment children arrive in Reception, they quickly follow the rules about considerate behaviour. Pupils are polite to each other, staff and visitors. Low-level disruption is rare. Staff deal with any bullying or inappropriate behaviour swiftly and proportionately. Most pupils learn from their mistakes and accept responsibility to make amends.

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

The headteacher works tirelessly to maintain high standards. He has made changes to the leadership team which have provided extra capacity and support.

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

Leaders have a clear intent about what they want pupils to learn. There is consistency in what teachers plan for each year group. In some subjects, the sequencing is less secure. In these subjects, leaders have only just begun to consider deeply enough the main aspects of the curriculum that pupils need to know before moving to secondary school. This lack of planning leads to variation in what pupils learn and how they learn. 19–20 October 2021

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When teachers plan subjects carefully, pupils remember facts well. They understand how what they have learned before helps them to understand more complex concepts. For example, Year 6 pupils used their prior knowledge well to explain their scientific knowledge about light and how this affected eyesight.

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Teachers regularly check that pupils understand what they have learned. They use this information to identify any misunderstandings and gaps in knowledge. Staff work well to help pupils catch up without missing new learning. This was particularly helpful following the national lockdowns. Leaders have adapted the curriculum to move pupils swiftly on in their learning, especially in English and mathematics.

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Children in Reception learn phonics as soon as they arrive. They listen carefully to teachers so that they can repeat sounds to make words. Many can write their names legibly after just a few weeks in school.

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The school is rich in reading opportunities. Leaders have overhauled the book libraries so that pupils know which books match the sounds they know. Older pupils choose books that add to their knowledge and comprehension. Leaders’ expectations of reading regularly are closely monitored. As a result, weaker readers are moving from decoding to fluency quickly. Disadvantaged pupils benefit from this attention and learn successfully alongside their peers.

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Pupils have a secure knowledge of the fundamental British values and practise them in school and out. Leaders plan the personal, social, health and economic curriculum purposefully. They include equality and diversity sensitively so that the curriculum reflects the local community as well as world issues. Older pupils have received important messages following Ofsted’s sexual abuse review. Pupils have a sound understanding of online safety and the threats that can occur. This term, after-school clubs have continued with subjects as diverse as Nordic walking, ‘mud pies’ and orienteering, and dance and drama.

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The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has made a difference quickly since her appointment. Staff know how to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These pupils learn confidently and successfully. Parents appreciate the skilful diagnosis that takes place and the extra support this provides for their children. Teaching assistants work effectively alongside teachers and are included in planning the curriculum. This enables them to be more efficient in supporting pupils.

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Governors, ably led by the chair, have a comprehensive understanding of the strengths of the school and the areas that need further development. They monitor the progression and impact of subject curriculums conscientiously. They hold leaders to account competently and celebrate successes. The expertise of the school’s improvement partner has aided the headteacher and governors in making the changes needed in the past few years, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. 19–20 October 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Administrative staff check recruitment processes efficiently. Several leaders, including governors, are trained in safer recruitment.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work well with external agencies so that pupils with emotional and welfare issues receive more targeted help.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular safeguarding training and are mindful of any updates from the Department for Education.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects in the curriculum, subject leaders have not planned the content and sequencing of the curriculum with enough precision. Consequently, it does not have the right detail to show what pupils should know and when. Leaders need to review the curriculum in these subjects to ensure that pupils learn more and remember more over time .

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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, 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 as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

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

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 19–20 October 2021

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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. 19–20 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199864 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 June 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in September 2018.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school 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 her evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspector met with the chair of trustees and seven trustees. The inspector had a telephone call with the school improvement partner.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and science. 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 pupils’ work. 19–20 October 2021

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 The inspector looked at recruitment practices and checks. In addition, the inspector spoke with the designated safeguarding lead. The inspector spoke with staff about their training in safeguarding and spoke to pupils.  The inspector spoke with the SENCo, the head of early years and different groups of pupils to discuss personal development and behaviour management.  The inspector took into account responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Kathy Maddocks, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 19–20 October 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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