Sherard Primary School

Inspection of Sherard Primary School Grange Drive, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE13 1HA

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 January 2022

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 25 and 26 January 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Sherard Primary School is a happy and caring community. Pupils are proud of their school. They talk about their favourite things in school with enthusiasm. They say that they can trust their teachers, that other pupils are kind, and learning is fun. Pupils are polite and confident. They are excellent advocates for the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high standards for pupils. They expect pupils to work hard. Leaders have introduced the ‘rainbow road’ to reward pupils who do their best. Pupils are delighted when they are rewarded by moving up the rainbow. Older pupils are excellent role models for younger pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and adults are positive. Adults expect pupils to behave well and pupils expect adults to be kind to them and to help them if they have a problem. Pupils say that bullying does not happen very often, but, if it does, there is always someone in school who will sort it out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a culture of high aspirations for pupils that goes hand-in-hand with care for them. The vast majority of parents and carers are positive about the school. One parent told inspectors, ‘The kindness and enthusiasm of staff is second to none.’

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better?

Leaders have planned a well-organised and ambitious curriculum. Curriculum plans identify the key knowledge that pupils need to learn. Plans begin in early years. It is clear how new learning builds on what pupils have already been taught. Learning is based on a ‘big question’ each term. For example, children in early years ask, ‘What happens in winter?’ and pupils in Year 4, ‘What could you do without your teeth?’.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive learning that is closely matched to their needs. Leaders have high expectations for pupils who attend the additional provision in the ‘Seahorses’ classes. Pupils in these classes follow the same topics and ‘big question’ approach as their peers in the mainstream setting.

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better?

Curriculum leaders are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their subjects. They receive training that helps them to fulfil their roles. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They plan lessons to engage and interest pupils. They help pupils to make links between subjects. For example, Year 6 pupils learn about Judaism in religious education at the same time as they learn about the Second World War in history. Teachers also introduce pupils to a wide range of subject-specific vocabulary. The acquisition of language is prioritised in early years. Pupils use impressive technical words that are linked to their ‘big question’. Pupils in Year 4 use ‘cavities’, ‘calcium’ and ‘decay’ in their science lessons to talk about the effect of different foods on teeth. 25 and 26 January 2022

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In mathematics and English, teachers regularly check that pupils are remembering key learning. In other subjects, the approach is not yet as rigorous. This means that teachers are not identifying every pupil who may have gaps in their learning.

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Phonics teaching starts promptly in early years. Staff teach phonics well. Teachers make sure that pupils who struggle to remember new sounds get extra help. Staff choose reading books for pupils that match the sounds they know. Leaders are ambitious that all pupils will become fluent and enthusiastic readers. Story times are given high status. Teachers read to pupils from a wide range of texts, which are often linked to their learning in other subjects.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and at playtimes. Pupils say that they can learn well because they do not disrupt each other’s learning. When pupils do not behave as well as they could, teachers make a record. However, leaders do not analyse these records as frequently as they might to spot patterns in pupils’ behaviour.

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Pupils’ personal development is at the heart of the school’s work. Leaders know that pupils do not live in a diverse community. They make sure that pupils learn about different types of families and how people from different backgrounds and beliefs live. Pupils understand what discrimination means and say that it should not be tolerated. Pupils know that it is important to show respect to everyone. Pupils are also taught to recognise their emotions. They learn how to manage their feelings and think about how their behaviour could affect others.

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Trustees know the school well. They check that leaders are making the right decisions to continue to improve the school. Staff feel well supported by leaders. They are proud to work at the school and say that they are a team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Every member of staff is aware of their responsibility for safeguarding pupils. Leaders make sure that they have regular training. They check that staff understand the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe. Staff report their concerns about pupils. Leaders take appropriate and timely action to follow these concerns up. They work with outside agencies to make sure that pupils, and their families, get the help they need to stay safe.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about how to have healthy relationships. They know that if they are worried about something, they should tell a trusted adult in school, who will help them to sort it out. 25 and 26 January 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders regularly check on the progress that pupils make in English and mathematics. This is not as well developed in science and the foundation subjects. Leaders have not implemented a systematic approach to assessment that is consistently used by teachers. This means that teachers are not always rigorously checking what pupils know. Leaders should now ensure that an effective and time-efficient assessment system is developed for science and foundation subjects. This will allow teachers to check what pupils know and remember from prior learning.  Leaders do not systematically check the behaviour records that staff keep. As a result, leaders are not analysing what records are telling them about pupils’ behaviour in school. Leaders need to include the analysis of behaviour records as a part of their regular monitoring activities. This analysis will enable them to spot patterns in pupils’ behaviour and address any issues that are identified.

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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. 25 and 26 January 2022

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School details

Headteacher Helena Blumfield (Head of School)

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Mowbray Education Trust in 2017.  The predecessor school was known as Sherard Primary School and Community Centre and was judged to require improvement in November 2016.  The head of school was appointed in February 2020. At the time of the inspection, an interim executive headteacher was in post.  The school has a special educational needs base for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.  The school runs pre-school provision for children from the age of two.  The school provides alternative provision at Oakfield Short Stay School.  The school provides an on-site breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 25 and 26 January 2022

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This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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 Inspectors held meetings with the head of school and other senior leaders.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, physical education and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, reviewed curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils from the lessons visited and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also observed pupils reading to a member of staff.  Inspectors reviewed school safeguarding documentation. They spoke to leaders, members of staff and pupils to discuss the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding procedures.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors met with representatives from Mowbray Education Trust and three trustees with responsibility for governance.  The views of parents, staff and pupils who responded to Ofsted’s online surveys

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were considered. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Caroline Poole, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Dave Gilkerson Her Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 January 2022

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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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