Cavendish Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Cavendish Church of England Primary School The Green, Cavendish, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 8BA

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good 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. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to show visitors their school. They are safe because staff ensure their well-being. Pupils know that they can share any concern with an adult. Pupils have many opportunities to tell teachers what they think of their school. Pupils appreciate this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is calm and orderly. They receive rewards for their positive behaviours. Pupils play well together. They take turns and negotiate with each other. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They know that their teachers will make it stop, should it happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning. Most pupils learn well because their teachers explain clearly. At times, pupils learn more slowly because their teachers do not check whether they all understand. Some pupils do not receive the help they need to learn better.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind. They are open-minded and respect people who have different religions and backgrounds. They show compassion towards others. Pupils help support their local community by planting trees. They perform regularly to their parents and carers and people who live nearby. They raise money for charities. Older pupils take care of younger children. Parents have mixed opinions about the education their children receive. Some are happy with this, and others are not.

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

Leaders have developed the curriculum well. They ensure that teachers understand the precise knowledge they want pupils to learn. Teachers present knowledge to pupils in small stages. They make sure that new knowledge links with what pupils have learned before. Pupils benefit from the opportunities to revisit what they have previously learned. As a result of this, most pupils remember knowledge well, and some pupils develop an understanding of more complex ideas. In some areas of the curriculum, teachers do not 7 December 2022

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make sure that all pupils have understood the knowledge they are learning. Teachers do not regularly identify mistakes in pupils’ understanding. As a result of this, some pupils do not build important knowledge as well as they might. They continue to make the same mistakes.

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Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading. They provide teachers with training to ensure that they all teach reading in the same way. Reception-age children practise previously learned sounds daily. This helps them to remember these well. Children blend sounds and read familiar words and sentences fluently. Pupils use reading strategies to enable them to read unfamiliar words. They read confidently and with some expression. Pupils explain stories in their own words. A minority of pupils have fallen behind with their reading. Leaders do not consistently provide them with the precise help they need to catch up quickly. This means that they do not read as well as they could.

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Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is uneven. When it is at its best, leaders have accurately selected the strategies teachers need to help some pupils with SEND to access the curriculum well. For other pupils with SEND, teachers are not equipped with the precise knowledge to give pupils the most appropriate support. Pupils’ learning therefore slows. Most parents of children with SEND are not satisfied with the help their children receive. Leaders are aware of this.

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Pupils have high expectations of their own and others’ behaviour. They know that teachers will deal consistently with any rare instances of disruptive behaviour. At times, pupils become less attentive in lessons, especially when they do not understand. Some teachers do not notice this.

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Leaders have established a caring ethos that ensures pupils look out for each other. They show respect towards visitors, other adults and those who are different from themselves. Pupils know about a variety of religions and cultures, which helps enrich their understanding of multicultural Britain and the wider world. Pupils represent the views of other pupils on a variety of school councils. This ensures that they take on responsibility for others and develop leadership skills. As a result of this, pupils hone their understanding of important British values. Pupils take part in a variety of school productions. Older pupils perform to pupils from other primary schools at a Shakespeare festival. Reception-age children act in the annual nativity play. These experiences help pupils to build confidence and gain wider literary knowledge. Leaders cater well for pupils’ personal development.

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Leaders and governors understand what the school does well and how it needs to improve. They are keen to address weaknesses in provision for pupils with SEND. Staff feel supported by leaders. Most find their workload reasonable, but a minority do not. Leaders and governors know that there is work to do to communicate better with parents. This will be essential as leaders take the school forward in the future.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 7 December 2022

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Leaders have established a robust safeguarding culture. Leaders provide regular training so that staff understand how to identify any child who may be at risk of neglect or abuse. Staff report their concerns immediately to leaders. Leaders act swiftly to ensure that pupils receive the help they need. Leaders refer concerns to other agencies when necessary.

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Pupils are fully aware of the risks of internet use, as well as the potential dangers they face outside school.

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Leaders make the required checks on all new staff to ensure that staff are safe to work with children.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not systematically check how well some pupils are learning. As a result of this, gaps and mistakes are missed, meaning that pupils do not gain some important knowledge and understanding. Leaders must work with teachers to ensure that they know how to assess pupils’ learning more effectively, so that pupils receive the right support to help them improve.  Staff do not know how best to meet the needs of most pupils with SEND. This is because leaders have not provided teachers and adults with the advice and guidance they need. As a result of this, pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they should. Leaders must identify with precision the most appropriate strategies that teachers and other adults must use to help pupils with SEND to learn better.

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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. 7 December 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. 7 December 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

8 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.  The school’s religious character was last inspected in June 2015.

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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.  Inspectors met with the chair of governors, other governors, representatives from the diocese, the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers, support staff and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. These included discussions with subject leaders, visits to lessons, meetings with staff and pupils, scrutiny of pupils’ work and a review of curriculum documentation. Inspectors also scrutinised other curriculum plans. Inspectors visited the school’s nativity production. 7 December 2022

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 Inspectors scrutinised the school’s single central record and met with the designated safeguarding lead. They scrutinised safeguarding records and spoke with pupils and with staff.  Inspectors considered the views of pupils, staff and parents. There were 13 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and 11 responses to the Ofsted pupil survey. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the school gate. There were 34 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors considered 30 free-text comments from parents.

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Inspection team

Adam Cooke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Daniel Short His Majesty’s Inspector 7 December 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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