Evercreech Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Evercreech Church of England Primary School Paradise Crescent, Evercreech, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6EH

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 30 November and 1 December 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to school and are happy to be learning together with their friends. They feel well looked after and appreciate the care and support provided by staff. Pupils particularly enjoy the challenges in ‘outdoor play and learning’. They love listening to daily stories and reading to ‘Willow’ the listening dog.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff encourage pupils to try their hardest and to take on challenges in their work. However, pupils’ presentation of work is not as good as it should be in some subjects, including mathematics, and this sometimes leads to errors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils behave well in classrooms, around the school and in the playground. Staff use a range of strategies effectively in order to help pupils reflect on their behaviour. Pupils say that these strategies work well and help them make up with their friends if they fall out. Pupils respect the behaviour rules and feel that staff apply these fairly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that there is no bullying. They say that sometimes they have fallouts with their friends. When these happen, they say that staff help them calm down.

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better?

The executive headteacher has a clear vision and determination for every child in the school to succeed. Together, with the head of school, she has created a cohesive and committed staff team.

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better?

Leaders have designed the curriculum well. This starts in the early years. Each subject has clear steps for building pupils’ knowledge. The curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to recap their learning. This helps staff to identify pupils who have any misconceptions and provide them with further support. However, in some subjects, such as art and music, staff have some gaps in their own subject knowledge.

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better?

Staff provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers and teaching assistants support these pupils to have access to the full curriculum. As a result, these pupils achieve well.

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better?

Leaders promote reading throughout the school well. There is a wide selection of books in the school library and in each classroom. Authors have recently visited the school remotely to encourage pupils to read. Reading records show that parents consistently encourage reading at home. Parents have donated books and raised funds for the school library.

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better?

Leaders have put an effective phonics curriculum in place. Pupils’ reading books match the sounds that they know. Early readers use their phonics skills well. This supports pupils’ fluency in reading. When pupils move away from their phonics 30 November and 1 December 2021

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reading books, they choose appropriate books to develop their reading further. Staff successfully teach pupils to understand and interpret what they read. Staff encourage reading for pleasure, and leaders promote recommended books well.

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Leaders have focused on a whole-school approach to encouraging good attendance. This, combined with stringent checks, has led to an increase in pupils’ attendance.

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Governors support and challenge school leaders well. They have a strong strategic oversight of the school. Governors make regular checks on leaders’ plans for improvement.

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Staff teach pupils how to lead a healthy lifestyle well. Pupils know what makes a good and healthy relationship. Staff promote British values well. Pupils vote for pupil council members and for choices at story time. They learn about a range of different cultures and beliefs. Pupils learn about equalities and not to judge people because of their views, beliefs, appearance or choice of relationships.

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Staff teach pupils to understand risks when using the internet. Pupils learn about fire-safety, and firemen have visited the school to discuss aspects of this with them.

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Staff value the support and guidance offered by leaders. They feel that leaders are always ready to support them. They feel their well-being and work–life balance is well-considered by leaders.

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Parents feel that the school is well led and managed. Most parents feel the school listens to them and deals with their concerns effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a clear culture of safeguarding in the school and pupils feel safe and are safe. Leaders ensure that pre-employment checks on staff are carried out efficiently. Governors monitor this regularly. Staff are vigilant about safeguarding. They know how to recognise when a child may be at risk of harm. Staff are fully aware of, and follow, the referral procedures should they have a concern. They record child protection concerns diligently, and these are followed up effectively.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, including mathematics, pupils’ accuracy is not as good as it could be. This leads to errors in pupils’ work. Leaders need to ensure that staff have high expectations of pupils’ work in all subjects. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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 Some teaching is not based on secure subject knowledge. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff develop stronger subject knowledge across the curriculum.

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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. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199676 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Tony Dalby-Welsh

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 March 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of a federation with Lovington Church of England Primary School.  There is a before- and after-school care club.  The school is a voluntary-controlled Church of England primary school. The school received its last section 48 inspection of church schools in October 2015. Although another inspection is due, the school has been informed that this has been delayed due to disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The school runs a nursery for children aged 2 to 4.  The school uses the provision at Critchill Special School, Frome for hydrotherapy. Leaders use no other alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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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.

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 Inspectors undertook deep dives in reading, physical education, mathematics, and science. These included discussions with leaders, visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, talking with pupils about their understanding and talking to teachers.  Inspectors met the designated safeguarding lead, checked the single central record of staff recruitment and looked at safeguarding records.  Inspectors met with governors, including the chair of the governing body, and held a telephone conversation with the local authority improvement adviser.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in class and at breaktimes.  Inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the online survey and talking with them before and after school.  Inspectors gathered a range of pupils’ views by considering the online survey, talking with the pupil council, and through discussions with pupils.  Inspectors held discussions with staff and considered the online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Martin Greenwood, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Lizzy Meadows Ofsted Inspector 30 November and 1 December 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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