St Peter's CofE (VC) First School

Inspection of St Peter's CofE (VC) First School The Square, Marchington, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 8LH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 22 and 23 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend the school. One pupil said, ‘Being a pupil at St. Peter’s is great, as we love each other like a family.’ Pupils are kind and caring. Bullying is extremely rare. If there is unkindness, pupils say adults deal with it quickly and effectively. As a result, pupils feel safe and cared for. Pupils behave well in and out of lessons. Breaktimes are harmonious and fun.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have worked hard to develop links with parents and the community. Parents are extremely positive about the recent changes to the school. A typical comment from parents is, ‘St. Peters has flourished under the guidance of the interim headteacher. The school is now a happy place where children want to learn.’ Communication has been strengthened and parents appreciate the visible and approachable staff. Parents and pupils value the varied clubs on offer to them, such as singing hands, eco-club, gardening and dance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have begun to develop the curriculum. However, the quality of education is not yet good enough. In some subjects, teachers do not regularly check what pupils know and remember. Consequently, learning does not build on what pupils already know and can already do.

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better?

After a period of instability, the interim headteacher has worked hard to steady the ship. Staff now have higher expectations of what pupils can achieve. The school curriculum has been overhauled and is now broadly well sequenced. However, the curriculum is in the early stages of implementation. Leaders have not yet mapped out the precise knowledge they want pupils to know in all subjects. This results in pupils not remembering the important knowledge leaders want them to.

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better?

Subject leaders have worked hard to establish a vision for their subjects. They now understand the importance of a well-organised and considered curriculum. However, they do not have effective systems in place to check that the intended curriculum is being delivered as it should be. Consequently, subject leaders do not know how well pupils are doing in their subjects.

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better?

Reading is taught well in the school. Children in early years make a good start learning to read. Staff are very well trained and they check what the children know and remember, adapting learning accordingly. The development of pupils’ vocabulary is well mapped out across the curriculum. Pupils’ vocabulary knowledge and use become increasingly sophisticated as the move through the school. Leaders have thought carefully about the poems, nursery rhymes and stories that they want the pupils to know and love.

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better?

The interim headteacher has introduced a new mathematics programme across the school. This has raised expectations of what pupils can achieve and is helping to 22 and 23 June 2022

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address gaps that arose during the pandemic. However, teachers do not check what pupils already know and can do well enough. Consequently, in some subjects, pupils often do work that is too easy for them, and this means that their learning is not as good as it could be.

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Children in the early years are happy and achieve well. They benefit from high- quality interactions with adults that develop their thinking and curiosity. For example, a Nursery child was asked to use their ‘fast eyes’ to count a group of animals. The child did this well and then proceeded to organise the animals into order of size.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive appropriate support. Their needs are quickly identified and their targets reviewed regularly to help them access the same curriculum as their peers. As a result, pupils with SEND do as well as other pupils.

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Pupils enjoy the roles and responsibilities they have to play an active part in school life. Members of the worship council proudly shared how they choose the prayer for the assemblies, while a member of the school council shared the school’s ‘buddy bench’ that he designed. Pupils have a good understanding of fundamental British values. However, they have limited knowledge of other faiths and cultures. Despite this, pupils said that all pupils are welcome in the school. One pupil said, ‘It would be so boring if everyone came from the same place and wore the same things. It’s interesting to know people from all over the world so we can learn from each other!’ This view is shared by pupils.

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The new chair of the governing body has worked closely with other governors to ensure they have an accurate view of the school. Governors make frequent visits into the school, and therefore have a better understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are committed to helping the school to improve. The interim headteacher and governors are considerate of staff workload and well- being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are well trained and vigilant in spotting safeguarding concerns. They use their detailed knowledge of the pupils to identify any concerning behaviour. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to ensure pupils and families get the help and advice they need.

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Safeguarding

Staff are aware of the whistleblowing policy and know the procedures for raising concerns about adults in school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep safe online. They talk confidently about how to use technology safely and what to do if they are worried about something. 22 and 23 June 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not yet identified the essential learning that children need to know. This means that pupils are not building detailed knowledge over time. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum identifies the precise learning that they want pupils to know and remember.  In some subjects, for example mathematics, teachers do not check effectively what pupils can and cannot do. This means that the work is not well matched to pupils’ abilities and needs. Leaders should ensure that teachers are skilled in checking what pupils can and cannot do, and can adapt pupils’ learning because of this.  Some subject leaders have not yet checked how well the intended curriculum is being implemented in their subjects. This means they are unaware of the quality of learning that is taking place. Subject leaders need to ensure they regularly check that the intended curriculum is being delivered to a high quality and that

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

pupils can remember and apply what they have been taught.  Leaders have begun to consider what pupils learn about other cultures and faiths. However, this is at an early stage. This means pupils do not have a secure understanding of different backgrounds and religions. Leaders need to ensure that they incorporate well-considered opportunities for pupils to learn about other faiths and cultures into the curriculum so that pupils’ wider knowledge and understanding are developed well.

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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 . 22 and 23 June 2022

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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. 22 and 23 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10210906 Type of school First

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.st-peters-marchington.org.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 St Peter's CofE (VC) First School is a small school. There are two classes. The interim executive headteacher joined the school in January 2021.  The previous headteacher left the school in July 2021.  This school is one of two schools in The Woodlands Federation, along with Talbot First School. The interim executive headteacher leads both schools.  This is a Church of England primary school. The last section 48 statutory inspection of Anglican and Methodist schools took place in January 2020.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school provision.  The school does not use any alternative provision. 22 and 23 June 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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 their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the interim executive headteacher and the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead. They checked safeguarding documents, including the checks made on staff. They also examined documentation relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent

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Information about this inspection

View, and the views of pupils and staff in Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors also spoke with pupils and staff informally during the school day.

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Inspection team

Eve Morris, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarahjane CuncannonEdwards Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 June 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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