Shustoke CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Shustoke CofE Primary School Forge Road, Shustoke, Coleshill, Birmingham, West Midlands B46 2AU

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Outcome

Shustoke CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils at Shustoke Church of England Primary School. The core values of perseverance, respect, compassion and hope are at the centre of this school’s work. Pupils are happy and safe. They enjoy coming to school and say that bullying is not accepted at the school. Pupils say that teachers act quickly to resolve any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure the curriculum meets the personal and academic needs of pupils. Pupils enjoy reading. They take part in class reading votes and ‘book-tasting’ days that help promote a love of reading. Pupils are excited now that extra-curricular activities are being reinstated. The school council, trips and residential experiences are on offer to pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure pupils’ behaviour is managed consistently and fairly across the school. Pupils are polite and courteous. They are well behaved in lessons and when moving around the school. Parents and carers are positive about the school. They told the inspector that, ‘Shustoke School is a wonderful place for children to learn, grow and develop into responsible, respectful and kind young people.’

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum for pupils. Teachers adapt curriculum plans to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Curriculum leaders ensure that teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach each subject. Teachers teach pupils the vocabulary needed to deepen learning. Teachers check pupils’ learning often. They provide effective support to pupils and challenge any misconceptions. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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

Good communication between home and school helps children in the early years settle well into school life. They develop positive attitudes to learning. Staff have high expectations of children. They model early language and communication skills well. 8 and 9 December 2021

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Teachers plan learning activities that are matched to children’s needs. Children enjoy learning about number through stories, songs and rhymes.

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Leaders prioritise reading. The reading curriculum is carefully planned and pupils are taught to read well. They receive good support from well-trained adults. Recent improvements to the teaching of early reading are highly effective. Children learn to read words and simple sentences accurately because teachers teach phonics well. Pupils read to adults regularly in school. Parents value the support they receive to help their children to read at home. Some books for a few pupils who are catching up in their learning, following the COVID-19 pandemic, do not closely match the sounds pupils are learning. Leaders are aware and are taking action to address this.

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In most subjects, curriculum plans are carefully sequenced and implemented consistently well. This ensures that pupils build up knowledge over time. Mathematics, for example, is taught well across the school. Some curriculum plans, such as in design technology, French and music, have only recently been introduced. These plans were delayed because of the pandemic. This means leaders have not yet evaluated the impact of these plans on what pupils know and remember.

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Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are supported effectively once their needs are identified. They do well in school. Parents are positive about the support their children receive. However, the needs of some younger pupils are not identified quickly enough. This has been hampered by the pandemic. Since returning to school, leaders have taken steps to build a picture of specific needs and gaps in pupils’ learning.

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Activities beyond the academic curriculum help pupils develop their personal character. Opportunities such as digital leaders and play leaders allow pupils to take on responsibilities. In doing so, they develop confidence and communication skills. In personal, social and health education lessons, pupils confidently share ideas and feelings. They listen to and value the opinions of others. Strong pastoral support means pupils get the help and advice they need. This enables them to focus on their learning and to do their best. Staff teach pupils to recognise and respect individual differences, and to understand the harm caused by discrimination.

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Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. They check on the school’s performance. Staff feel supported by leaders, who manage their workload effectively. Staff are appreciative of the support they received from leaders during the pandemic.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that staff know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil. They are aware of specific areas of concern, such as protecting pupils from sexual harassment, radicalisation and exploitation. Leaders seek the right support for vulnerable pupils. This includes support from external agencies when necessary. 8 and 9 December 2021

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Leaders ensure the appropriate checks on staff are undertaken before they are appointed. Pupils regularly learn about how to maintain healthy relationships and keep safe when online. They know that they should raise concerns with trusted adults in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 For a few pupils who have fallen behind in their reading, books do not match the sounds they are learning. This hampers their progress to catch up. Leaders should ensure that books are well matched to the sounds pupils are learning. Leaders should monitor the impact of this work, so that these pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers.  Leaders have not ensured that the needs of some pupils with SEND are identified and addressed swiftly. This work has been affected by COVID-19. Some younger pupils with additional needs cannot keep up with their peers because they do not have the support they need. Leaders should accelerate plans to ensure that pupils who need additional support are identified quickly and get the help they need swiftly.  Leaders have recently introduced revised curriculum plans in a small number of subjects. They have not yet evaluated the impact that these plans are having on what

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

pupils know and remember. Leaders should support subject leaders to monitor what pupils know and remember in 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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 7 November 2011.

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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. 8 and 9 December 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. 8 and 9 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200182 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 October 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use 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 their evaluation.  The inspector carried out deep dives in design technology, reading and mathematics. This included visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, examining teachers’ plans and talking with pupils and staff. The inspector also looked at work from a sample of other subjects. The inspector considered information on the school’s website.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included examining the record of employment checks on school staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in class and at other times during the day. During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders, the SEND coordinator, the

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designated safeguarding lead, the early years leader, governors and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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