Kilsby Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kilsby Church of England Primary School Manor Road, Kilsby, Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 8XS

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good 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?

This is a happy school. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Staff know pupils well and take good care of them. As one pupil said, ‘Our school just has nice people in it.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well behaved. They are polite and courteous to each other and to visitors. Playtimes are happy and sociable occasions. Pupils play cooperatively. They follow adults’ instructions quickly and sensibly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand what bullying is and know the different forms that it can take. They know what to do should it occur. Each year, pupils sign their anti-bullying policy to demonstrate their commitment to eradicating bullying. Bullying is extremely rare. When it does happen, leaders deal with it robustly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ high expectations of pupils are reflected in the school’s ‘ROAR’ values. Pupils understand resilience, organisation, articulation and readiness. They say that these values are important to them and help them to be effective learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard in lessons. They listen carefully to their teachers and follow instructions promptly. However, much of the curriculum is at the very earliest stage of implementation. This means that pupils do not yet learn and remember content across a large number of subjects.

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

Leaders have introduced a new phonics curriculum. It is well sequenced and identifies what pupils should know and by when. Pupils’ reading books are closely matched to the sounds that they know. Staff have had some training but are at an early stage of implementing the 21 April 2022

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new curriculum. Some inconsistencies remain. As a result, some pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read are not as fluent as they could be.

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Over time, pupils develop a love of reading. They read widely and often. They are familiar with a wide range of authors. They enjoy listening to their teachers read at the end of the day. However, the reading curriculum beyond phonics is not well planned and sequenced. It does not make clear what pupils should know and be able to do at each point of the school year. Leaders are in the process of addressing this.

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The new curriculum is at a very early stage of implementation. Pupils do not yet recall its content. Much of it is sequenced well. However, in some subjects it does not yet identify the important knowledge that pupils should gain at each stage of their education.

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Children get off to a good start in the early years. The early years curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It sets out what children should know and be able to do, in each area of learning, at each point in the Reception Year. Teachers regularly check to ensure that children are learning the curriculum. Those that begin to fall behind get extra help.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the help they need in lessons to learn the curriculum. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that these pupils have plans that set out targets for improvement. However, these plans do not set out how the targets will be achieved. This means that leaders are unable to check if pupils are getting the right support, or if it is working.

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Pupils take pride in the roles they play in the school. Older pupils act as house captains, vice-captains, play leaders and collective worship helpers. Pupils have opportunities to make a positive contribution to the local community. They have worked with the Women’s Institute, the local history group and local churches. Pupils enjoy the wide range of extra- curricular activities on offer.

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There have been several unavoidable changes in senior leadership since the last inspection. The trust has ensured continuity of leadership through this period. The trust has an accurate view of the school’s strengths and knows what needs to improve. It has increased the level of challenge and support it provides. School leaders and the trust share the same high ambition for pupils to do well, and to care for their workforce.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is the school’s highest priority. They are determined that pupils get the help that they need. They challenge robustly where this is not the case.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils well. They are alert to any changes that indicate that pupils might need help. Any concerns, regardless of how minor they might appear, are recorded to build detailed pictures over time. Records are detailed and fit for purpose. The family support worker provides a wide range of help and support for pupils and their families. 21 April 2022

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Pupils know how to stay safe in the community, online and near railways.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Overall, the school’s curriculum is appropriately planned and sequenced. However, its early stage of implementation means that pupils do not yet remember the curriculum content. Leaders should ensure that the school’s new curriculum is embedded.  In some subjects, the curriculum does not make clear the most important content that pupils should know and remember at each stage of their education. This means curriculum content cannot be taught as effectively as it could be. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum makes clear what pupils should know and remember at each stage of their education, across all subjects.  The phonics programme is at an early stage of implementation. Teachers’ subject knowledge is not consistently secure. This means that pupils do not learn to read as quickly or as fluently as they could. Leaders should ensure that phonics is taught consistently well.  The curriculum for reading beyond phonics is not well planned and sequenced. It sets

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

out the end points for each year. Teachers do not know what pupils should be able to know and do at each stage of their education. Leaders should ensure that the reading curriculum is well planned and sequenced.  Plans for pupils with SEND set out what these pupils should achieve. They do not make clear what actions will be taken to help them achieve their targets. This means that leaders are unable to check how effectively pupils with SEND are being supported. Leaders should make clear what will be done to help pupils achieve their targets. They should use this to check that provision is effective.

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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 school to be good in April 2017. 21 April 2022

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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. 21 April 2022

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School details

Headteacher Matthew Whiteley (Interim Headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 April 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been several changes of headteacher since the last inspection. The current, interim headteacher is covering maternity leave.  The school is part of the Diocese of Peterborough. The most recent section 48 inspection of this Church of England school, which is an inspection of the school’s religious character, took place on 3 December 2019. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the last section 48 inspection.  The school uses no 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the interim headteacher, the substantive headteacher, curriculum leaders, the SENCo and the early years leader. They also met with a director of education from the Innovate Multi-Academy Trust. 21 April 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in three subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, and met with teachers and pupils. An inspector listened to pupils read and looked at curriculum documentation for design and technology and music.  The lead inspector met with two governors and two trustees from the Innovate Multi- Academy Trust.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View. An inspector spoke informally to parents outside the school. They noted responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  The lead inspector met with safeguarding leaders. He reviewed school documents relating to safeguarding and attendance.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer of the Innovate Multi-Academy Trust.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Adrian Rollins Ofsted Inspector 21 April 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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