Herne View Church of England Primary

Inspection of Herne View Church of England Primary Ditton Street, Ilminster, Somerset TA19 0DS

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Inspection dates: 29 and 30 November 2022

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 13 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 29 and 30 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They follow orderly routines and have a sense of belonging. Pupils know and understand the school’s Christian values of care, respect and friendship. They demonstrate how these values impact positively on their actions and attitudes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of pupils. Pupils enjoy a range of rewards and clearly understand the consequences of their actions. This enables them to make positive choices about their behaviour. Lessons are calm and pupils learn without disruption. Pupils show respect for their peers and adults. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support that helps them to learn well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the strong pastoral support available to them. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They know staff are always available to help them with any worries or upsets. This support helps them to build emotional resilience, so they are ready to learn again quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, visitors and curriculum enrichment opportunities. They benefit from these experiences because they build their sense of community and citizenship.

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better?

Leaders and governors have managed the changes to the school’s age range well. Despite the challenges this has brought, leaders have remained focused throughout on the quality of education pupils receive.

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better?

Pupils experience a coherent, well-sequenced curriculum. Leaders have clearly identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn in all subjects. Leaders have put in place appropriate curriculum changes needed for the new age range of Year 5 and 6 pupils. This has been successful. Children in the early years move through a carefully sequenced curriculum which prepares them well for key stage one. Leaders have adapted the early years curriculum in the light of the pandemic. As a result, there is now a wider range of activities designed to strengthen children’s physical development that helps them when learning to write.

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better?

Subject leadership is developing. In many subjects, leaders have checked how well the curriculum is taught. In a minority of subjects the curriculum is not as well developed. As a consequence, pupils don’t gain the essential knowledge they need to learn effectively.

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better?

Pupils learn to read well. Leaders have ensured staff have the subject knowledge to teach phonics with confidence. Pupils practise the skills to read unfamiliar words and quickly become fluent readers. Any pupils who struggle to keep up with their peers 29 and 30 November 2022

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receive effective support. Pupils of all ages enjoy reading books for pleasure and listening to stories.

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Leaders have prioritised teachers’ subject knowledge across the curriculum. For example, in physical education (PE), teachers have the opportunity to work alongside specialists. This builds teachers’ confidence in delivering the subject curriculum. Staff work together to plan effective learning. This is particularly important given the number of new staff. Some are new to teaching, and others have moved year groups as part of the new school structure. Staff appreciate these opportunities for professional dialogue. They feel this helps them to manage their workload.

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Pupils with SEND have their barriers to learning accurately identified. Teachers work closely with leaders and parents to set targets that are measurable and specific. These are then used to adapt learning in the classroom. This enables pupils with SEND to learn successfully, making progress from their individual starting points.

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Leaders plan for a wealth of experiences to cultivate pupils’ personal development. There is a sequenced curriculum for pupils’ personal, social, health and relationships education. Assemblies and acts of worship give pupils opportunities to reflect on core values. However, leaders do not check pupils’ understanding of this important content. Pupils struggle to recall learning. They do not have a secure understanding of some aspects of this area of the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know pupils and families well. They use this knowledge to make sure that when support is needed, it is effective. Leaders work well with a range of agencies and share important information appropriately.

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Safeguarding

There are effective procedures for the recruitment and management of any allegations against staff. Staff know the processes for recording and reporting any concerns. Leaders keep detailed records and are swift to respond. Governors make regular checks on the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about ways to stay safe online. They trust adults to listen to them if they have a worry.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, subject leadership is underdeveloped. This means the implementation of the curriculum is not monitored as effectively. Senior leaders 29 and 30 November 2022

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should ensure that, in all curriculum areas, subject leaders have a clear oversight of how well pupils in all age groups learn the intended knowledge.  Leaders have not checked if the curriculum for pupils’ personal development is fully effective. Pupils do not have a secure understanding of some important aspects of the curriculum. Leaders need to assure themselves that the curriculum is effectively implemented, and pupils know and remember the intended learning.

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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. 29 and 30 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10256651 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 24 March 2009, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary-controlled Church of England primary school in the Diocese of Bath and Wells.  On 1 September 2022, as a result of local school reorganisation, the school expanded its age range to take Year 5 and Year 6 pupils for the first time. It also changed its name from Greenfylde Church of England First School to Herne View Church of England Primary School.  There have been significant staff changes as a result of the reorganisation. Many teachers were new to the school in September 2022, including 7 early career teachers.  The school uses one registered and one unregistered alternative provider.  The school has provision for two-year-olds within the pre-school.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 29 and 30 November 2022

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 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 have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, PE and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspector 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, assistant headteacher and special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders and teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors. She also met with two representatives from the local authority.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leaders to discuss how

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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 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 development plan and documentation relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Evans Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 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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