Tilstock CofE Primary and Nursery

Inspection of Tilstock C of E Primary and Nursery Tilstock Lane, Tilstock, Whitchurch, Shropshire SY13 3JL

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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 Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 26 and 27 April 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy learning new things and playing with their friends. Pupils feel safe and are adamant that any member of staff would help them if they had any problems. Pupils care about each other and understand the school’s Christian values. One pupil summed this up for others by describing the school community as ‘respectful’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They behave well in lessons and as they move around the school. Bullying is rare and pupils are confident that if it does happen, it will be sorted out quickly. Pupils say everyone is welcome at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have planned an exciting curriculum and expect all pupils to achieve as well as they can.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to learn beyond the classroom. This includes learning outdoors, attending clubs and going on trips linked to the topics they are studying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Many parents consider that the school helps pupils to grow socially and emotionally as well as academically. Parents of pupils with SEND say that their children are well supported.

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better?

Leaders have planned a broad and balanced curriculum. Plans set out what pupils will learn in each subject. The sequence of learning is planned carefully so that pupils can build on what they already know. Key themes are threaded throughout the curriculum to help pupils deepen their understanding. For example, in history, the theme of monarchy helps pupils to understand how different leaders in the past made decisions that still affect life today.

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better?

Children begin to learn to read as soon as they join the school in the early years. Staff are well trained so that they know how to support pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read. Extra support is provided for pupils who are at risk of falling behind. Pupils practice reading everyday using books that are matched to the sounds that they know. Staff are keen that pupils develop a love of reading. They read to pupils regularly. Pupils talk knowledgeably about the books they have read and their favourite authors.

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better?

The school’s new approach to mathematics means that pupils gain the right knowledge at the right time. Pupils can apply what they have learned when they are talking about mathematics and solving problems. A love of mathematics starts in the early years where, for example, children learn songs that help them with counting. 26 and 27 April 2022

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Pupils enjoy taking part in subject-based quizzes and discussing what they have learned. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 can share in detail what they knew about the different history topics they had studied in key stage 2. Leaders know there is more work to do to ensure that teachers always use their knowledge of what pupils know and can do when they are planning tasks.

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Staff have a good knowledge of the needs of pupils with SEND. These pupils are supported effectively. Pupils with SEND are included fully in all aspects of school life.

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Staff and parents work in partnership when children join the early years. This means that children settle quickly and get off to a great start with their learning. Staff focus on communication and language development. This ensures that children can talk confidently about their learning and cooperate well with each other.

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Pupils understand the school rules and say that staff treat everyone fairly. Pupils behave well in lessons. There are some pupils who do not take enough pride in their work or try their very best. Staff are working hard to ensure that all pupils have positive attitudes to their learning.

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Leaders prioritise opportunities for pupils’ wider development. Pupils learn about the different religions and cultures of the United Kingdom. They are supported to know about life outside of their small village through the curriculum and educational visits. This included a whole school trip to Liverpool earlier this year. Pupils learn about the importance of fairness and equality through their work on fundamental British values.

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Trust leaders provide very effective support for the school. Local governors know the school well and visit regularly. They provide support for leaders but also challenge them to ensure that all decisions are made in the best interest of pupils. They are proud of the school’s place at the heart of the village community. Staff enjoy working at the school. They feel supported and respected by leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive training and updates regularly about safeguarding. They know how to report any concerns they have about a pupils’ safety or well-being. Leaders respond to any concerns quickly and work well with a range of agencies to ensure that pupils get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that relevant pre-employment checks are carried out before any member of staff can start work at the school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes using the internet safely and being aware of the risks that strangers can pose. Older pupils know what a safe relationship should feel like. 26 and 27 April 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not always take into account what pupils already know and can do when they plan tasks for pupils. This means that learning is not always matched to pupils’ needs and abilities. As a result, some pupils do not make as much progress as they could. Leaders should continue with their work to develop how assessment is used across the school so that teachers use this information to plan tasks and activities that build on pupils’ existing knowledge and skills.  Some pupils’ workbooks show that they do not have consistently positive attitudes to learning. Their work is sometimes poorly presented and unfinished. Leaders should support teachers to have consistently high expectations of all pupils so that pupils are encouraged and motivated to achieve as well as they can.

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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. 26 and 27 April 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227751 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

 The school joined the Marches multi-academy trust (MAT) in December 2017.  The school is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The last section 48 inspection took place in December 2018.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 the evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and members of the school’s leadership team. The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, and she also met with two senior leaders from the MAT. 26 and 27 April 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils reading to adults in school.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. She looked at information about the actions taken to protect the most vulnerable pupils. Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s single central record of staff.  The lead inspector spoke to parents and carers to gather their views of the school.  Inspectors considered responses from parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and the free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to the

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Inspection team

Jo Evans, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ben Cox Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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