Sharnford Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Sharnford Church of England Primary School Henson Way, Sharnford, Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 3PN

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Outcome

Sharnford Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that pupils are happy to be part of. They describe it as being ‘like a family’, ‘where everyone knows each other and gets on well’, and ‘a fun and really good place to learn’. They are proud to wear their school uniform.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors how they feel safe at the school. They say that any bullying is very rare and, if anyone is unkind, staff attend to it quickly and fairly. Pupils say that the staff set a good example to them. They are keen to explain how, if they have done really well, the school’s leaders can send their parents postcards to let them know. Pupils especially look forward to seeing who gets the ‘Superstar of the Week’ award.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All staff expect every pupil to pay attention during lessons and to work hard. They want every pupil to learn as much as possible, including communicating clearly. Pupils get a good, broad education at Sharnford. Teachers begin to teach children how to read from the start. They, and all staff, work in shared ways so that children know what they are learning and can make progress across subjects. Pupils leave well prepared for secondary school.

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

The education that pupils receive remains a good one. The school’s senior leaders ensure staff teach children to read using a highly consistent approach. Inspectors saw children in the Reception Year eager to show their knowledge of sounds such as ‘qu’ and ‘ch’. They know how to write a ‘v’ by moving their pencil ‘down the wing and up the wing’. They tell their teacher, without being prompted, that the letter ‘j’ is a descender. They know terms such as ‘author’ and listen to stories with excitement. Pupils in Year 1 build on knowledge taught previously to read words such as ‘mouth’ and ‘found’. Staff give any pupil who needs to catch up, or does not know a sound, daily practise. Staff are skilled and give pupils confidence so that they can read fluently. 16 November 2021

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Pupils come into classrooms ready to learn. Lessons flow smoothly because pupils listen and behave respectfully. They complete their work with care and have positive attitudes to work. They are polite and cooperate well. Any unkind behaviour is rare and is well dealt with by staff.

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To support pupils to catch up after the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure all develop good communication skills, the curriculum emphasises oracy. Teachers model well, speaking with precision and clarity. They use the ‘concept cat’ as a means to teach unfamiliar words, and lessons emphasise new vocabulary until pupils use it too. Classrooms have many prompts and displays to promote language. In mathematics, pupils know how to use correct terms, such as ‘multiplication’ and ‘division’. In history, they learn about ‘historical sources’ when finding out about World War II. Lessons and books allow pupils to find out about unfamiliar things, such as the experience of Jews through reading ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’.

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The curriculum is well planned. Teachers are clear what pupils are learning currently. They can explain how they have made this possible through what they have taught before. They know how lessons will allow pupils to be ready for what comes next. They ask probing questions during lessons to check what pupils know. However, in a few subjects, they do not have an effective system to assess what pupils remember over the long term.

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Teachers deliver lessons well. They explain things to pupils clearly and correct any misunderstandings pupils have. This helps pupils learn lots of important knowledge. Pupils can explain their mathematics work, and describe, for example, the things they have learned several years earlier about Diwali. Inspectors noted how staff give sufficient help to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. These pupils explained this support to inspectors, and how it helps them to learn.

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Leaders have the support of staff. They feel leaders treat them with respect and are mindful of their workload. Leaders set high standards for everyone. They make sure the education pupils receive meets pupils’ needs and that they are ready for their next stage of education.

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The school’s personal development programme teaches pupils, for example, how to stay safe online. They learn about different cultures in Africa and about the local Gurkha communities. Pastoral support is a strength of the school. Skilled staff help those with social and emotional needs to succeed. Pupils like the clubs and visits which they took part in before the COVID-19 pandemic and are very happy they have begun again.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders do all they can to ensure pupils are safe. They have appropriate procedures in place for the safer recruitment of staff, and for the management of allegations.

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Safeguarding

They give all staff regular training in safeguarding and ensure that they are in no doubt about the urgency of reporting any concern, however slight. Staff are vigilant and do not 16 November 2021

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make assumptions abuse could not happen. Leaders keep detailed records. They take appropriate, timely action, including working with external agencies when required. Pupils who inspectors met, say that they could report a concern or worry to any member of staff.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While school leaders have effective formative assessment systems for all foundation subjects, in some, such as history and art, the system for summative assessment is not precise enough. This means teachers cannot always be sure what pupils have remembered over the long term. Leaders should ensure that a manageable system for checking this is in place across all subjects.

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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 predecessor school, Sharnford Church of England Primary School, to be good in February 2013.

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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. 16 November 2021

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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. 16 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199530 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

 Sharnford Church of England Primary School converted to become an academy school in July 2017. When its predecessor school, Sharnford Church of England Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Inspiring Primaries Academy Trust, which is a multi-academy trust.  The school is a Church of England Primary School. It underwent a section 48 inspection on 20 June 2018. The Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools usually take place once every five years.  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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  In order to judge whether the school continues to be good, inspectors focused the inspection on specific subjects of the curriculum. Inspectors did deep dives in reading, 16 November 2021

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mathematics, and history. This involved meeting with senior and subject leaders, scrutinising curriculum planning, and visiting lessons where pupils were learning these subjects. Inspectors met pupils from the lessons and looked at their work in these subjects. They met with teachers and spoke about the curriculum they were delivering. They heard children in different year groups read books. Inspectors looked at the planning of other subjects in less depth.  In addition, inspectors met with representatives of the local governing body and the coordinator for pupils with SEND. They spoke with the chief executive officer of the school’s multi-academy trust. The inspectors read a wide variety of school documents, including the school development plan.  Inspectors took note of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, met with parents at the end of the school day, and considered the results of the Ofsted staff questionnaire.

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 In order to judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors read the school’s relevant policies, scrutinised the single central record, checked the school’s procedures for the safe recruitment of staff and interviewed the designated safeguarding lead. Inspectors also spoke with staff to check details of their safeguarding knowledge and training, to ensure that they understood the importance of their responsibility to report any safeguarding concerns without delay, and if they knew the procedure to do this. Inspectors checked samples of safeguarding records and spoke with parents about their child’s safety at the school.

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Inspection team

Roary Pownall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Nixon Ofsted Inspector 16 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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