All Saints CofE (C) Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: All Saints CofE (C) Primary School Tatenhill Lane, Rangemore, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE13 9RW

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All Saints is a popular small school that sits at the heart of its local community. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about their children’s academic and wider opportunities. As one parent put it, ‘The staff are brilliant in terms of both teaching our children, but also helping them grow and develop’. Several parents contacted the inspection team to offer their praise for how staff are managing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Staff monitor pupils’ behaviour carefully. They are quick to reward and praise pupils. Pupils are attentive and keen to learn. They talk with enthusiasm about their experiences and have no concerns about bullying. Staff pay particular attention to pupils’ social and emotional needs. The academic curriculum is complemented with a wide range of clubs and extra-curricular opportunities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have worked hard to develop the teaching of reading and the wider curriculum. However, there is scope for aspects of the teaching of reading and some subject areas to develop further.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that matches the ambition of the national curriculum. They have worked with staff to carefully translate high-level curriculum aims into daily plans that set out the knowledge that pupils will be taught. This work is more developed in some areas than others.

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

Where work is further developed, such as in mathematics and science, it is very clear what pupils will learn and practise in lessons. For example, the mathematics curriculum is structured in such a way that pupils have time to secure their understanding before moving on to new content. Staff have received specific training from mathematics 10 November 2021

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specialists. Similarly, in science, the school’s subject leader has taken time to consider subject content. The science curriculum is carefully designed. Pupils acquire knowledge of important concepts and how to work scientifically. These concepts and practical work are woven carefully together.

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However, some aspects of the wider curriculum are not as well developed. In history, for example, there is not sufficient clarity about the knowledge that pupils will acquire over time. Some plans emphasise the activities that pupils will complete rather than the important aspects of chronology or content that must be remembered over time. Leaders are alert to these shortcomings and have plans in place to offer further training and support.

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Staff have received training in the teaching of early reading. The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have required additional assessment of pupils’ security with phonics. Staff have invested much time establishing which pupils require additional support. This is helping pupils to keep up with the school’s programme. In some classes, there are now extra sessions to ensure pupils crack the phonics code as quickly as possible. Leaders have therefore clearly prioritised the teaching of early reading. However, some aspects of practice are not as well developed. For example, some of the books that pupils take home to practise their reading are not precisely matched to the sounds that they are learning. This can hamper pupils’ progress. Furthermore, leaders are aware that their systems for tracking and monitoring the success of the phonics programme could be strengthened. This is particularly the case in the early years.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development are key strengths of the school. Staff have the highest of expectations for pupils. Systems for managing behaviour are well embedded and understood by all. Pupils describe one another as gentle and kind when asked about behaviour.

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The school has a Christian ethos that guides staff’s work. They pay particular attention to pupils’ social and emotional needs. Pupils benefit from special groups and activities that support their health and well-being. Despite the considerable challenges of the last two years, clubs and extra-curricular activities have resumed for all pupils. For example, in recent weeks, pupils have been able to attend cricket, rugby, netball and choir clubs. Years 5 and 6 were taking part in an exciting residential trip at the time of the inspection.

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Leaders are ambitious, receptive and hard working. All Saints is federated with another local school. This partner work offers important leadership capacity. For example, governors have appointed a teacher to oversee special educational needs and/or disabilities across both schools. This means pupils’ needs are identified quickly and appropriate support is put in place.

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Governors and trustees know the school well. They are alert to the areas for development that the inspection team identified. They have plans in place to further develop practice, specifically in relation to phonics. There is considerable expertise across the trust. 10 November 2021

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Staff are proud to work at the school and say that leaders are attentive to workload and their well-being. They appreciate the support they receive from leaders and the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that the teaching of early reading and the wider curriculum may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and leaders have received appropriate safeguarding training. Teachers and governors are alert to the latest safeguarding policies and guidance. Leaders have also liaised with parents in recent months to discuss the teaching of relationships, sex and health education. The curriculum is structured in such a way that pupils are taught how to stay safe. For example, the school has a dedicated scheme for teaching relationships and health education. Staff are very attentive to pupils’ well-being.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Systems for tracking phonics in the early years could be stronger. Leaders are not fully aware of the outcomes of assessments that are taking place in the early years. This hampers their ability to monitor the success of the programme and intervene should any child fall behind. Leaders should monitor this group of children more closely and be alert to any arising needs.  The books that children take home to practise their phonics are not all precisely matched to the sounds that they are learning. This can hamper children’s progress. Trustees’ and leaders’ plans to address this should now be accelerated.  Some curriculum plans lack detail about the precise knowledge that pupils will acquire over time. As a result, teaching activities can be emphasised over important content. This means that important aspects such as chronology in history are not as well embedded in pupils’ understanding. Leaders should work with staff to further review

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the body of knowledge that pupils acquire over time in some curriculum areas. 10 November 2021

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Background

When we have judged a school to outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school outstanding. 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 predecessor school, All Saints Church of England School to be outstanding in July 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.

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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. 10 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10209034 Type of school Primary School category Academy converter

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School details

Website http://www.theforestfederation.co.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is a part of the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust.  All Saints has a Christian religious character. As such, it last received a section 48 inspection of its denominational education and collective worship on 4 February 2016. The school’s next section 48 inspection will be within eight years of the last.  The school is federated with Needwood Church of England Primary school. Together the two schools form ‘The Forest Family’. The schools share a local governing body and a headteacher.  The school’s former headteacher left All Saints in July 2021. The school has appointed an acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher for the autumn term. A new substantive headteacher will take up post on 1 January 2022.  The school offers wraparound childcare before and after school. This care is managed by the governing body.  All Saints Church of England Primary School converted to become an academy on 7

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Information about this school

December 2018. When its predecessor school, All Saints Church of England Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall. 10 November 2021

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the following leaders during the inspection: trustees, governors, the chief executive officer, the chair of the board of trustees, the school improvement partner, the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders and the office manager.  Deep dives were conducted in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and history. To explore the effectiveness of these curriculum areas inspectors: spoke to senior leaders to understand their aims and rationale for overall curriculum design; met with subject leaders to explore long- and medium-term thinking; visited lessons to see the curriculum in action and consider the activities chosen by teachers; considered work in pupils’ books; and talked to teachers and pupils about their experience and

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Information about this inspection

understanding of the curriculum.  Inspectors reviewed responses to staff and pupil surveys. Inspectors also took account of responses, including written free-text submissions, to our Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View.  To determine the effectiveness of safeguarding inspectors: reviewed the single central record; met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss record-keeping and training; talked to staff about safeguarding training and how pupils are taught safety through the curriculum; and reviewed exclusion and attendance records.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Keay, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Orgill Ofsted Inspector 10 November 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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