St Peter's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Peter’s Church of England Primary School Moor Lane, St Peters C of E Primary School, Budleigh Salterton, Devon EX9 6QF

p.1

Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2022

p.1

Outcome

St Peter’s Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school motto, ‘Growing together in mind, body and spirit’, underpins all the school does. It is evident in how pupils learn through the academic, character and enrichment curriculum and how they conduct themselves around the school. Securing respectful and nurturing relationships is central to this. Staff know pupils well. This helps pupils to feel safe.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the high expectations leaders have for their behaviour and attitudes to learning. They say that adults support their peers well if they struggle in class. Consequently, there is little disruption to learning. Pupils value the range of opportunities leaders provide for them to take on responsibilities. These include roles such as Year 5 buddies for children in Reception, school leaders and eco champions. Pupils fulfil these roles wholeheartedly. It increases their confidence and self-awareness.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The positive conduct of pupils continues into playtimes. Pupils develop their physical health and play together well. Pupils show resilience and empathy when managing ‘fall- outs’. They resolve them quickly between themselves. Leaders enable this to happen by modelling a restorative approach to maintaining friendships. Pupils know what bullying is. They learn strategies to deal with incidents when they occur. Staff sort out any problems quickly.

p.1

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

There is an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum in place for most subjects. This starts in early years and continues through to Year 6. Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas that need to develop further. They know that there are some subjects where the curriculum is not as well embedded. There are clear plans in place to ensure that pupils learn more successfully in all subjects.

p.1

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

Subject leaders are knowledgeable about the subjects they are responsible for. They monitor their subject areas well. Leaders are responsive to staff training requirements. 21 and 22 September 2022

p.1

2

They adapt the curriculum each year to meet the different needs of pupils. Teaching in Nursery and Reception enables children to develop their physical development, language and communication, and early mathematics skills well. Adults carefully consider opportunities for learning. Their interactions with children have maximum impact on their development. This prepares children well for learning in Year 1 and beyond.

p.2

2

There is a whole-school culture of prioritising reading. The teaching of early reading is well organised. Leaders make sure that staff are trained so that they know how to teach phonics effectively. Children learn phonics right from the start. When pupils fall behind, staff skilfully identify what further help they need. They provide support to enable pupils to keep up. Older pupils enjoy reading and confidently talk about authors and genres they like to read. Staff read to pupils regularly and pupils have access to a wide variety of texts. This includes texts that promote diversity. Teachers celebrate reading and are keen to promote it.

p.2

2

Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 talk confidently and enthusiastically about their learning. Leaders have made sure that the curriculum in core subjects, such as mathematics and English, details the important knowledge that pupils need to learn from early years onwards. This ensures that pupils build on what they already know and helps them to remember more over time. Leaders know that there is still work to do in some subjects in the wider curriculum.

p.2

2

Teachers check pupils’ learning effectively to inform their teaching and to identify misconceptions. They are knowledgeable about how learning can be adapted to meet the needs of most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, as leaders seek to further improve the provision for pupils with SEND, there are some pupils who do not yet have the precise and targeted support they need to overcome their barriers to learning. These pupils are not able to learn as successfully as they could.

p.2

2

Staff promote pupils’ personal development extensively. They ensure that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, develop their independence and resilience. Examples include teaching about mental health, a strong commitment to the local community, environmental issues and regular trips. Leaders offer a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, attend well.

p.2

2

Staff appreciate the actions that leaders take in relation to their workload. Governors know the school and its current strengths well. They are fully aware of what leaders are working on. Governors provide suitable challenge to leaders. They ensure that improvements are rapid and there is no complacency.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Staff know pupils and their families well. As a result, they are quick to notice and respond to any concerns or worries. Leaders follow up concerns and act on these quickly. Good 21 and 22 September 2022

p.2

3

use is made of external support when appropriate. All staff are well trained and receive regular and up-to-date safeguarding information. They talk about the impact training has on improving their practice. Recruitment procedures are thorough.

p.3

3

The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to gain the knowledge they need to keep themselves safe in different circumstances. This includes leading a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a respectful relationship and keeping safe online.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ recent work to develop the curriculum has not yet been fully implemented across some subject areas. As a result, in some subjects, pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is fully embedded and sequenced so that pupils know and remember more over time.  The leadership of SEND has recently changed. While leaders have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to ensure that all pupils with SEND can successfully learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers, for some pupils this is not yet fully in place. They do not have the precise and targeted support they need to overcome barriers to learning. As a result, they do not learn as well as they could. Leaders need to quickly put in place the changes they have planned for and ensure that they check the impact and success of their decisions and actions.

p.3

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 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 higher or 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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2013.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 21 and 22 September 2022

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 and 22 September 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10240754 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Elizabeth Stubbs

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 9 May 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school includes provision for three-year-old children.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in February 2019.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, curriculum leader, the special educational needs coordinator, staff and members of the governing body, including the chair. The inspector also spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 21 and 22 September 2022

p.5

6

leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  The inspector considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspector analysed school documentation, including leaders’ evaluations and plans for improvement. The inspector scrutinised a range of policies and procedures, including those that relate to the curriculum, SEND, safeguarding and behaviour.  The inspector listened to the views of parents and carers at the start of day 2 of the inspection. The 62 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 52 free-text responses, were also considered, along with the six responses to the pupil online survey and 35 responses to the staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Leanne Thirlby, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 21 and 22 September 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7