Coombe Bissett Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Coombe Bissett Church of England Primary School Shutts Lane, Coombe Bissett, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 4LU

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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?

Pupils enjoy coming to this nurturing school. They feel safe. Leaders are determined that all pupils will succeed. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent described Coombe Bissett as ‘a caring, compassionate and conscientious school where a child has a real opportunity to thrive’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils engage well in their learning. However, subjects in the wider curriculum do not clearly detail the knowledge teachers want pupils to know. Teachers do not always systematically check what pupils remember and can do so they can address any gaps in learning. Learning is not always adapted effectively and regularly to support those who struggle.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of behaviour. Pupils are polite and considerate. They demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils say that if low-level disruption occurs, staff deal with it quickly, so learning is not interrupted. Pupils say bullying is rare. If it were to happen, pupils know staff would deal with it sensitively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the importance of respect and tolerance. Pupils treat everyone equally. For example, they know that people are different but that it is good to be different. Pupils have a good understanding of other religions and beliefs.

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

Leaders, including governors, are ambitious about what pupils can achieve. Staff support each other well to develop pupils in becoming confident and resilient learners. They appreciate and value the leadership and direction the acting headteacher provides. 5 May 2022

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Children start learning to read from the moment they join the school in the Reception Year. They experience a wide range of stories, rhymes, songs and other learning opportunities to support their communication skills well. Phonics teaching from Reception and across key stage 1 is effective in helping pupils to sound out unfamiliar words. Books match the sounds pupils are learning. Careful assessment ensures staff identify where some pupils require extra support. Teachers choose high-quality texts for pupils to read in class and at home. As a result, pupils develop into confident and competent readers.

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Pupils enjoy reading. They understand the importance of being able to read well. Older pupils say that books let their ‘minds go wild!’ They enjoy talking about the different stories they have read and how teachers inspire them to read from a range of challenging texts.

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The mathematics curriculum is clearly sequenced from the early years to build pupils’ knowledge over time. Staff use assessment well to check pupils’ understanding of prior learning. Pupils enjoy mathematics and talk confidently about their learning. Staff across early years and key stage 1 use and explain mathematical vocabulary well to support pupils in knowing more and remembering more over time.

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Leaders have designed subjects across the wider curriculum to take into account mixed- age classes. However, the key knowledge teachers want pupils to learn is not always clear enough. Assessment is not used well to inform what pupils should be taught next. For example, in geography, teachers do not gain a secure understanding of what pupils know and can do before moving on to new content. Pupils struggle to recall what they have learned in the past. As a result, pupils have gaps in their geographical knowledge.

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Staff have created a caring and inclusive ethos. However, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not always receive the support they require. Learning is not adapted well enough to meet their needs. As a result, some pupils are not developing the level of independence they should in order to make the progress they are capable of.

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Pupils behave well both in the classroom and during social times. Older pupils are effective role models. They like engaging with younger children and demonstrate positive and fun interactions. Pupils show kindness and respect for all.

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Leaders provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities beyond the classroom. For example, residential trips and visits to the local church and river support pupils’ learning well. Pupils are taught the importance of celebrating the uniqueness of every individual.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that actions taken by leaders to improve the wider curriculum, teachers’ use of assessment and the implementation of relevant support for pupils with SEND may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection. 5 May 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are clear on the procedures and processes to follow when they are worried about a pupil. Training, including regular safeguarding updates, enables staff to look for changes in pupils which may cause concern. Leaders carry out relevant checks on staff new to the school to ensure they are safe to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe in school. They know whom they can speak to if they have a worry. The curriculum supports pupils’ understanding of how to stay safe, including when online. They know about the dangers associated with social media sites.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In subjects across the wider curriculum, leaders have not fully identified the key knowledge pupils need to learn. Pupils do not develop the depth of subject-specific knowledge that they should. Leaders need to ensure that curriculum designs identify the key knowledge all pupils need to learn and that this is sequenced effectively to enable pupils to know more and remember more over time.  Assessment across the wider curriculum does not check what pupils understand and recall well enough. Consequently, this prevents pupils, including those with SEND, from building knowledge securely. Leaders need to ensure that assessment processes clearly identify what pupils know and can do so that any gaps in knowledge pupils have can be addressed.  There are inconsistencies in support for pupils who struggle and for those with SEND. As a result, some pupils do not receive the support they need in a timely way. Leaders

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

should ensure systems are put in place so that all pupils can access effective support quickly.

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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 in January 2011. 5 May 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. 5 May 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of the governing body Jenny Taylor and Trudy Nazer

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 June 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school. Pupils are organised into four mixed-age classes.  The school is currently being led by an acting headteacher in the absence of the substantive headteacher. The local governing body is being led by co-chairs.  The school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school in the Diocese of Salisbury. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2016, where the school received a judgement of outstanding.  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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the acting headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, groups of staff, a representative from the local authority and members of the governing body. The substantive headteacher was not present during the inspection. 5 May 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited samples of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school. They talked to pupils, staff and governors about how the school keeps everyone safe.  Inspectors considered the 38 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 30 free-text responses, one email from a parent and 10 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Heather Barraclough, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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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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