Mary Swanwick Primary School

Inspection of Mary Swanwick Primary School Church Street North, Old Whittington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S41 9QW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 8 and 9 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school where children enjoy their learning. Pupils understand the school’s ethos of ‘ learning together; helping one another to achieve our best’. The pupils we talked to showed care and concern for each other and said that their teachers are supportive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Staff are determined that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive the support they need to flourish.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are proud of their school. They said that they would ‘definitely’ recommend the school to another child. The pupils spoken to said that bullying rarely happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respect differences between people. Pupils commented that: ‘Different kinds of people are welcome here. It’s not about looks, but about how you treat people.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are a range of leadership roles that pupils can benefit from. These include being a member of the school council, a librarian or a friendship ambassador. Pupils take pride in these roles and feel valued by the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are positive about the school. One parent, typical of many, said: ‘Mary Swanwick is a fantastic school where children get the opportunities to learn, grow and thrive.’

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better?

The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. Pupils study a broad range of subjects. In most subjects, leaders have identified the important knowledge pupils need and when they need it. Subjects are carefully planned to help pupils build their knowledge so that they know and remember more over time.

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better?

Teachers regularly check what pupils have learned. They help pupils to recap their previous learning. Lessons start with ‘re-engage tasks’. Pupils understand that the purpose of these tasks is to help them to retrieve knowledge and for teachers to check pupils’ understanding. In history, for example, pupils remembered their work on chronology and could explain key events that had been previously learned.

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better?

Leaders have not fully implemented an effective assessment and feedback policy. There is an inconsistent approach to feedback. Pupils do not always get the opportunity to reflect on feedback and improve their work. Different teachers use different strategies to assess pupils’ understanding. Some of the strategies are at the early stages of development, and there are varying degrees of success. 8 and 9 November 2022

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Children in the early years get off to a good start. Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to teaching phonics. Daily phonics sessions help pupils to learn sounds quickly. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading across the school.

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The curriculum in the early years is well structured and helps children to learn well. Relationships are very positive between children and adults in the early years. Leaders provide an engaging environment inside and outside the classroom. There is a focus on children’s communication and language. In mathematics, children are quick to recognise numbers and enjoy the activities delivered in lessons and through the continuous provision. Children learn the important knowledge and skills they need.

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Teachers are quick to identify pupils with SEND. They routinely assess pupils’ needs and check that these pupils access the full curriculum. Leaders ensure that staff provide high-quality support and resources suited to pupils’ needs.

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Pupils are friendly and polite to visitors. They behave well in lessons and work hard. Staff use the school’s behaviour system consistently well. Leaders have a clear focus on promoting positive behaviours. This is supported by a popular reward system where pupils accumulate points by receiving ‘cygnet’ rewards from staff. They can use these to buy items from the school’s ‘swan shop’.

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There is a strong focus on pupils’ personal development. Leaders are keen to provide ‘worldly knowledge’, to make sure that pupils understand life beyond the school and surrounding area. Pupils benefit from a range of extra-curricular activities, including sports, art, street dance and karate clubs. Leaders have carefully selected these clubs and scheduled some at lunchtime to enable all pupils to access them.

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Leaders promote fundamental British values. However, pupils do not have a secure knowledge of these. Leaders are reviewing their plans to ensure that pupils develop a deeper understanding of this aspect of the curriculum.

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Governors and trustees understand the school. They share leaders’ ambition and are not complacent. Governors hold leaders to account effectively. Leaders engage well with staff. They provide regular training and consider staff’s well-being and workload. Staff are proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding leaders are knowledgeable about safeguarding matters. Leaders liaise well with external agencies when a pupil needs extra help to keep safe. Clear safeguarding procedures are in place to keep pupils safe in school. Staff understand their responsibilities to pass on concerns about pupils. They receive appropriate training and updates. 8 and 9 November 2022

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Leaders make sure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment is not equally effective in all parts of the curriculum. Sometimes teachers do not check pupils’ responses to tasks or check that pupils have responded to feedback. Leaders must ensure that assessment is well planned, that misconceptions are identified and quickly addressed, and that school policies are consistently applied.

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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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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. 8 and 9 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240140 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 – 20 October 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative educational providers.  The school is part of the Learners’ Trust.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with curriculum leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 8 and 9 November 2022

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 Inspectors considered the range of documents that the school keeps with regard to safeguarding. They spoke with pupils, staff and governors about safeguarding arrangements.  Inspectors met with governors and trustees. They spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day and took account of views expressed through Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors spoke with groups of staff. They also took into account the views shared through the surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Dawn Ashbolt, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Lowther Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 November 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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