Ford Primary School

Inspection of Ford Primary School Cambridge Road, Ford, Plymouth, Devon PL2 1PU

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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

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 15 and 16 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Serving the community is at the heart of Ford Primary School’s vision. Leaders ensure an inclusive, nurturing environment meets the needs of all pupils and families. Pupils say that everyone is welcome.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have responded with sensitivity and compassion to recent events within the community. This high-quality pastoral care for pupils and their families has been a key feature of the school’s work in the last year. However, the quality of education pupils receive is not as well developed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. The inclusive approach means that all pupils have their needs met. Pupils are clear about rewards and sanctions. They say that pupils do fall out, but bullying is rare. Positive relationships with staff mean pupils trust adults to sort out any worries or problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As the curriculum is not yet fully effective, pupils sometimes become distracted in lessons. They do not always listen carefully. This is because teachers are not always clear about the specific knowledge they want pupils to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are positive about the school. They speak highly of the care and strong relationships staff have with their children.

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better?

Leaders have a clear vision and set of values for their pupils. They know their pupils and context well. They have thoughtfully taken pupils’ understanding of Plymouth as the starting point for their whole curriculum design.

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better?

However, leaders’ ambition for pupils is not yet fully realised through the curriculum. This is because the knowledge they want pupils to learn across the curriculum is not yet clear enough. Leaders know that the development of vocabulary is important for their pupils. The curriculum, however, does not consistently help pupils to learn key vocabulary. This is because the specific knowledge these words relate to has not been identified.

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better?

All staff encourage a love of reading. Pupils appreciate the range of books they can choose from the school library. They enjoy having books read to them by teachers. Younger pupils learn phonics well. Staff have good subject knowledge, which means they are skilled at helping pupils to segment words and blend sounds with confidence. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. Nursery children who are ready start learning phonics before they start Reception.

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better?

Pupils develop secure mathematical skills. A developing fluency in number means that they can apply this knowledge to problem-solving and reasoning. Children in 15 and 16 June 2022

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the early years deepen their understanding of mathematics through a wide range of opportunities in adult-led time and play.

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Children in the early years learn well. Adults are skilled at questioning and modelling language. This means that children have lots of opportunities to develop their speaking, listening and understanding. The carefully planned environment ensures children develop positive attitudes. They play and learn together cooperatively and with confidence.

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The strong leadership for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities means that these pupils have their needs well met. Teachers are confident in making sure provision is in place to help these pupils access the curriculum.

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Pupils’ personal development is the cornerstone of leaders’ work. Pupils have a good understanding of equality and say that everyone is treated equally at their school. They speak proudly of opportunities to perform in, and serve, their local community. Initiatives such as the mini-police and the school parliament offer experiences that broaden pupils’ understanding of life in modern Britain.

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Governors are passionate about their school. Along with trust leaders, they support and challenge leaders to bring about improvements. Staff appreciate their pastoral support for leaders and staff over recent months.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ work to keep pupils safe is at the heart of what they do. They work well with a range of agencies to get the right support for pupils and families. Leaders’ checks made when recruiting staff are thorough.

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Safeguarding

Regular training for staff means they are confident in recording and reporting concerns. This means that leaders can act swiftly.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about staying safe. They can talk about how to stay safe when using the internet. Pupils understand the need to share information if they feel someone is at risk of harm. They trust adults to help them if they have a worry.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In the wider curriculum, subject leaders have not planned the content of the curriculum well enough. It is not clear what essential knowledge pupils should know and by when, in order to build their knowledge and skills over time. Leaders need to ensure the curriculum identifies the specific knowledge and vocabulary they want pupils to learn over time. 15 and 16 June 2022

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 Teaching in the wider curriculum is not based on secure subject knowledge. This means that teaching does not always present learning effectively to pupils. Leaders need to develop teachers’ subject-specific knowledge further so they can help pupils know more and remember more.  Subject leadership is not yet fully developed. Leaders do not always know how the curriculum is being implemented in their subject. Senior leaders must develop subject leaders’ expertise so the curriculum is well implemented.

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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. 15 and 16 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10231295 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 Horizon Multi Academy Trust in April 2018.  The school has a breakfast and after-school club on site.  The school has governor-run nursery provision for three- and four-year-olds on site.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  Ford Primary School converted to become an academy school in April 2018. When its predecessor school, Ford Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 15 and 16 June 2022

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, the 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 inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders and teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with trustees, including the chair, and the chief executive officer of the trust.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leads to discuss how they keep pupils safe in school. They considered the school’s recruitment procedures, staff induction and training, records of concerns and their engagement with external

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agencies. The inspectors also spoke with staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s self-evaluation, governors’ minutes and records relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Jason Edge Her Majesty's Inspector 15 and 16 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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