Claybrooke Primary School

Inspection of Claybrooke Primary School Main Street, Claybrooke Parva, Lutterworth, Leicester, Leicestershire LE17 5AF

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 October 2021

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 26 and 27 October 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Claybrooke, everyone knows each other well. Pupils commented that they like the small school environment. One comment, typical of many, was, ‘Teachers are there for you, and they get to know us.’ Pupils learn to cooperate and enjoy spending time with their friends. Older pupils enjoy helping younger children to learn to play games during social times. One parent remarked how the school had a ‘lovely family feel’, while another described it as a place where ‘staff genuinely care for the children’. Many parents and carers expressed such views.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have introduced a new approach to managing behaviour. Staff say this is helping them to manage behaviour positively. Adults encourage pupils to understand the consequences of their words and actions. Pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are provided with additional support to manage their behaviour. However, behaviour is not managed well at all times during the school day. Sometimes, pupils go off task when teaching is not closely matched to what pupils need to know and learn. Pupils mention how this behaviour distracts them from them learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is rare, but when disagreements occur, leaders and staff generally resolve them quickly. Pupils feel safe in school.

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better?

The new leadership team has prioritised developing curriculum plans. Leaders have supported staff in considering how to help pupils to remember more and recall information. Some staff have received training to develop their subject expertise. Some leaders hold leadership posts over two schools. This arrangement has enabled staff to collaborate with colleagues in the linked school to improve their curriculum plans.

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better?

However, some curriculum plans do not show how pupils will develop their understanding of how to become experts in different subjects. They do not break the knowledge down into the small steps that pupils need. The plans do not support teachers to develop an understanding of what each year group needs to know and remember. At times, the teaching activities are not appropriate. Pupils say there is a ‘mismatch’ between what the activity requires and what they are expected to learn.

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better?

Staffing changes have meant that some staff have not received sufficient training to deliver the early reading programme. This means that sometimes adults do not teach the right strategies to help pupils at the earliest stages of reading. Leaders have not ensured that pupil behaviour is well managed during early reading lessons. They do not make regular checks to ensure that the teaching of early reading helps pupils to progress through the programme quickly and securely. 26 and 27 October 2021

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The plans for mathematics have been adapted to address the gaps in pupils’ knowledge and support mixed-age classes. Pupils, including those with SEND, use practical equipment and resources to help them with their mathematical understanding. However, sometimes pupils are confused about key mathematical concepts because teachers’ explanations are not clear.

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Leaders have not ensured that routines and high expectations are the norm in the early years. Children have meaningful relationships with staff but do not always respond well to adults’ instructions. Adults do not make the most of opportunities to develop pupils’ language.

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Leaders provide a range of opportunities for pupils to take part in sports. Pupils enjoy the responsibilities leaders provide for them in school. They understand ideas related to respect, democracy and how people may have different viewpoints. However, pupils have developed inaccurate assumptions about different religious groups. This does not prepare them for life in modern Britain.

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Staff feel that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being. They are given time to complete any additional work. Governors and trustees make checks on the well-being of all staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, including governors and trustees, ensure that there is a strong culture of safeguarding in school. Leaders make rigorous checks on all staff working with pupils.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff have regular training in the procedures for keeping pupils safe. Staff know pupils and their families well. They are vigilant and look out for any changes in how pupils present themselves. Staff are available at the start and end of the school day, so parents and carers can discuss any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Pupils understood how to keep themselves safe both online and offline.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff have not received sufficient training to deliver the early reading and phonics curriculum effectively. This means pupils at the earliest stages of reading do not gain the knowledge they need to catch up quickly in order to become confident and fluent readers. Leaders must ensure that staff have the necessary training to deliver the phonics programme effectively. They must make regular checks to ensure that pupils are remembering the key knowledge needed to progress through the programme quickly. 26 and 27 October 2021

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 Not all curriculum plans support teachers to identify precisely what pupils need to know. Pupils do not receive a curriculum that helps them to get better in all subjects. Leaders need to ensure that the content of all subject plans is carefully sequenced, with clearly identified end points so that pupils know and remember more over time. Leaders need to ensure that teachers have the skills and knowledge to be able to implement and deliver a coherently planned curriculum in all subjects.  Leaders have not ensured that effective pedagogical approaches are used to help pupils know and remember more. This means that for pupils, including those in the early years, activity choices and unclear explanations do not support them in being prepared for their next steps. Leaders should explore ways to offer subject- specific training to all staff so that teaching consistently supports pupils to make meaningful connections between different aspects of their learning.

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 Sometimes pupils’ misbehaviour, including in the early years, is not dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils’ learning is sometimes interrupted because routines have not been established. Leaders need to ensure that all staff implement the new behaviour policy consistently so that there is minimum disruption to learning.  The curriculum for some aspects of personal development has not been implemented effectively. Pupils’ knowledge of different faiths and cultures is less strong than other aspects of their personal development. Leaders should ensure that teaching enables pupils to broaden their knowledge of different faiths and develop a wider understanding of different cultures.

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How can I feed back 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 feed back my views?

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

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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 .

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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. 26 and 27 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199601 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school joined the Inspiring Primaries Academy Trust in August 2017.  The executive headteacher started in Sept 2019. The leadership structure enables some staff, including the assistant headteacher and the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo), to lead over two schools.  The trust has enabled significant changes at local governance level.

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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 has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their school evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the school leadership team, the SENDCo, representatives of the local governing body and the trust, curriculum leaders and teachers. 26 and 27 October 2021

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 Curriculum plans for early reading, mathematics, history, religious education and physical education were discussed. The inspection team visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  Discussions were held to consider how the leaders help pupils in their personal development, including preparing them for life in modern Britain.  Inspectors analysed information on attendance, behaviour logs and safeguarding records. They held meetings with leaders to discuss the safeguarding of pupils.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed at various times of day, including in lessons, playtimes and lunchtime.  Views of parents, pupils and staff were considered through the Ofsted surveys and by meeting parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Heidi Malliff Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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