Stanton-in-Peak CofE Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Stanton-in-Peak CofE Primary School School Lane, Stanton-in-the-Peak, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 2LX

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak with high regard for this small and happy school. The pupils feel safe, and they enjoy coming to school. As one parent said: ‘Staff bring fun and care to the school.’ Pupils told the inspectors that behaviour is good in lessons and at playtimes. This was the case in all lessons visited during the inspection. The pupils are a credit to the school. They respond cooperatively and quickly to their teachers’ high expectations. They are thoughtful and kind to each other. Pupils told the inspectors that bullying hardly ever happens. They trust their teachers to help them if they ever need it. Staff are alert to any concerns that may arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is able to take advantage of its beautiful rural setting. Staff and pupils spend time each week in the nearby woodland, engaging in a range of activities. These activities aid their personal development. They contribute to pupils’ mental and physical health and well-being. Further afield, pupils learn about other people and places on school trips to cities and the coast. A link to a school in India broadens horizons even further.

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

Leaders continue to build on the successful outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics from 2019. They have begun to update plans in other subjects, starting with history and geography. They have set out an ambitious curriculum, sometimes going beyond the national curriculum. In some subjects, curriculum plans are well developed and steps to learning are sequenced effectively. As a consequence, pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding. Leaders intend to update plans for the remaining subjects in a similar way.

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

Teachers use these plans consistently well. They present information clearly. They have a secure knowledge of how to build on prior learning. Teachers use assessment effectively to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. They help the pupils to remember using regular 21 September 2022

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reminders such as ‘flashback four’. Skilled teachers and teaching assistants use questioning to check pupils’ understanding. Formal assessments are secure in subjects such as reading, writing and mathematics. Assessment is not yet fully developed in other subjects.

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The mathematics curriculum is strong. Detailed plans set out what pupils should know, and be able to do, in each year group. Pupils appreciate the recap sessions at the start of each lesson. Recalling what they already know helps them to tackle new concepts. Some pupils in Years 5 and 6 provided an example. They explained that they did not understand rounding the day before. However, they were much more confident after the teacher went over the learning in a different way.

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Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they join the Reception classes. Staff adopt a common approach, based on an approved phonics programme. This programme was introduced less than 12 months ago. Most pupils receive books that match their phonics knowledge. However, this is not always the case. Older reading books from the school’s previous scheme are still in use. These books may include sounds that the pupils have not yet learned. Leaders intend to replace the older books as soon as they can.

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Leaders and staff place a high priority on fostering a love of reading. The ‘mountain challenge’ guides pupils to choose books of high quality. Leaders understand the importance of pupils learning new vocabulary. Almost all pupils become fluent readers by the end of key stage 1. However, the choice of fiction, poetry and other texts is not defined in a logical sequence.

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Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as other pupils. Teachers explained that they ‘scaffold up’ rather than ‘differentiate down’. For example, adults introduce new vocabulary and texts before the lesson so that the pupils are well prepared.

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Leaders and staff promote pupils’ personal development well. Pupils describe how they learn about a range of faiths and cultures. They understand the importance of difference. They are adamant that all pupils are welcome, regardless of their beliefs or lifestyle. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and to school.

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Staff praised leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being. They appreciate the headteacher’s advice to focus on a small number of priorities.

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Governors are knowledgeable about the school. They use their expertise to identify any necessary action.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils said that they feel safe at school. They are confident that staff will look after them well. Pupils are especially well informed about online safety, following intensive work in lessons, and with their parents, last year. Staff are well trained in safeguarding matters. 21 September 2022

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They promptly identify and report safeguarding and welfare concerns. These can be low level as well as concerns that are more serious. Well-maintained records enable regular reporting to governors. Staff recruitment follows the national guidance, and the single central record is well maintained.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have introduced a new phonics programme in the last year to support the teaching of early reading. They have started to replace older reading books with new books which match the phonics that pupils know. Currently, pupils read books at home that contain some phonics that they have not yet learned. This means that they do not become fluent readers as quickly as they could. Leaders should ensure that pupils are given sufficient practice in reading and re-reading books that match the grapheme– phoneme correspondences they know, both at school and at home.  Once pupils are fluent readers, they become ‘free readers’. They are encouraged to choose high-quality books to read. However, leaders have not set out a reading curriculum for the older pupils in which the choice and sequencing of fiction, poetry and other texts is defined. As a result, there is no guarantee of increasingly challenging texts to support pupils’ proficiency. Leaders should ensure that the reading curriculum

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

is coherently sequenced and sets out what pupils should read and learn from early years to Year 6.  Leaders have made a strong start with their aim of revising curriculum plans for all subjects. The new curriculum plans are coherent and ambitious, leading to secure learning and development of pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Not all subjects are planned with the same clarity. Leaders should ensure that all subjects have curriculum programmes of the same high quality as the best, including the development of assessment.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in October 2016. 21 September 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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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 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10229084 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority Local authority Chair of governing body Adrian Thornhill

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 and 19 October 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has federated with another primary school since the last inspection. The two schools share a governing body and an executive headteacher.  The executive headteacher was appointed since the last inspection.

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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.  The inspectors met with the executive headteacher, deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and a range of staff. The lead inspector met with a group of governors. Inspectors met with some parents at the beginning of the day and also considered surveys.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 21 September 2022

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 Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding by reviewing the school’s record of pre-employment checks and holding discussions with leaders, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Jo Ward, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lynn Corner-Brown Ofsted Inspector 21 September 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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