Church Vale Primary School and Foundation Unit

Inspection of a good school: Church Vale Primary School and Foundation Unit Laurel Avenue, Church Warsop, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG20 0TE

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 November 2022

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Outcome

Church Vale Primary School and Foundation Unit continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that is rooted in its community and aims for every pupil to ‘Reach for the Stars’. The school has high ambitions for every child to succeed. There are regular enrichment events, such as an annual careers fair and residential visits, to support this. Pupils love the school and feel well cared for. As one pupil reported, ‘If we have worries, the teachers, whether a big worry or a little worry, want to help you as best they can and that is what I love about this school.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils access forest school learning outdoors. This supports pupils in developing a sense of enjoyment, communication and teamwork. They learn about the world around them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils understand the school rules and why they are important to help them learn. Pupils are very polite and courteous and low-level disruption is rare. Pupils hold doors open for their peers and for adults. They do not worry about bullying. They are confident that an adult would deal with it if it did happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Playtimes are happy occasions. The ‘take five’ approach is used across the school to support pupils in their learning.

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

Reading is given a high priority at the school. To help foster a love of reading, teachers read to pupils regularly and discuss what they have read. As one pupil said, ‘It is important to be able to get clues from the book to understand it.’ The school’s approach to teaching phonics is well structured. Staff have been trained to teach phonics. They use assessment well to ensure that any pupil at risk of falling behind receives support to enable them to keep up and catch up. Pupils’ books are matched to the sounds that they know. This enables them to become confident and skilful readers. 15 and 16 November 2022

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The sequencing of the curriculum is well planned in most subjects. It sets out what each pupil will learn in each term. Core concepts are revisited so that pupils’ new knowledge builds on what they have learned before. The ‘subject knowledge maps’ ensure that pupils know what they are going to learn. They are supported by the key vocabulary that leaders have chosen. However, in some subjects, leaders have not set out in precise detail exactly what pupils must know and remember. Some teachers do not check carefully enough what pupils know and can do in order to provide them with exactly the right next steps in their learning.

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The early years curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced. It clearly sets out what each child should achieve in Nursery and Reception across each area of learning. The carefully planned indoor and outdoor areas support the delivery of the curriculum. For example, the cultural role-play area celebrates diversity. A speech and language specialist supports children in developing their communication and language development from the very start.

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The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) has a comprehensive understanding of pupils’ needs. Well-written plans ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities get timely and appropriate support so that they achieve well. All pupils access a full and inclusive curriculum. Staff deliver the support and interventions that these pupils need well.

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There is an effective personal, social, health and economics (PSHE) curriculum in place. Pupils can attend Nottingham University and learn about further education. They can compete in sport, cookery and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities. They understand the importance of keeping healthy. Pupils explained, ‘It gives your body more energy.’

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Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They understand the importance of respecting and celebrating difference and diversity in their community. They always model the school’s 11 values and can describe the protected characteristics.

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Parents and carers are typically supportive of the school’s work. As one parent said, ‘All staff go above and beyond.’

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Pupils typically attend school regularly. When this is not the case, the family support worker supports families to help their children attend school frequently.

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Members of the governing body share the same high ambition for every pupil as the staff. They have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school’s work and the areas for further improvement. They provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders to help them realise their ambitions for the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 15 and 16 November 2022

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Leaders have ensured that safeguarding is always given the highest priority. All staff and governors are provided with up-to-date safeguarding training and are knowledgeable about potential concerns. Processes for reporting concerns are used effectively and records are detailed. Leaders make referrals to relevant services in a timely manner. Leaders carry out all the necessary checks on the suitability of staff to work with pupils.

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Pupils know who to go to if they have a concern. They can talk to staff or use the school’s ‘Worry Box’. Leaders ensure that pupils learn about staying safe online and the potential dangers of drugs and alcohol.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subjects are well planned. However, some leaders are new to role. They do not yet have the skills or knowledge necessary to lead their subjects confidently. They have not yet refined the curriculum or identified the ambitious component knowledge that pupils need to learn. Leaders must ensure that subject leaders have the knowledge and expertise required to ensure that the curriculum is effectively sequenced.  Some teachers do not use what they know about what pupils have learned to plan appropriate activities for pupils, particularly for those who grasp new concepts quickly. Sometimes, in a few subjects, pupils unnecessarily complete work that they can already do. Leaders need to ensure that the ambition currently in place for some subjects goes across the curriculum consistently.

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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.

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Background

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

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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. 15 and 16 November 2022

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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. 15 and 16 November 2022

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10227907 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 May 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provision.

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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, the deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders and the SENDCo. He also met with a range of other staff.  The inspector carried out deep dives in three subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils. The inspector listened to pupils read. He also looked at curriculum documentation for PSHE and various school polices.  The inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair and reviewed minutes of some governor meetings. 15 and 16 November 2022

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 The inspector visited collective worship, the school’s forest school provision and observed pupils at breakfast club and during breaktime and lunchtime. He also spoke to parents as they arrived at school.  The inspector met with safeguarding leaders and reviewed the single central record. He also reviewed school documents concerning safeguarding and safer recruitment, and behaviour records.  The inspector reviewed the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, including the free-text comments from parents. He also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Jon Brown, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 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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