Shipston-on-Stour Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Shipston- on-Stour Primary School Station Road, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire CV36 4BT

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 January 2023

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Outcome

Shipston-on-Stour Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect all pupils to reach their full potential at Shipston-on-Stour Primary School. Pupils live up to these expectations. They work hard in lessons and try their best. Pupils are well prepared for secondary school by the time they leave the school in Year 6.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the school’s code of conduct – described as ‘RESPECT’. They learn about the importance of respect for others, showing this in how they treat one another and talk to adults. They look after their school and treat it with care. This makes the school a happy and welcoming place to be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about different types of bullying and express strong opinions that bullying is never acceptable. They learn to ‘STOP’ and ‘start telling other people’ as soon as bullying happens, and they trust adults to sort things out. This helps pupils to feel safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults trust pupils with responsibilities and opportunities to make decisions about school life. Pupils are proud of these responsibilities and take them seriously. For example, each class has a representative on the school council. Pupils on the school council have begun working with leaders to review the range of extra-curricular activities offered by the school.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that helps pupils to build their knowledge over time. They have identified the exact information they expect pupils to learn, year by year, in each subject. For example, in geography, children in early years learn about the physical features of their local environment. Pupils build on this knowledge in key stage 1. They use vocabulary such as ‘rocks’ and ‘formation’ when they study the British coastline. Pupils in Year 3 are then prepared to learn about more-complex concepts. For instance, they study tectonic plates and the causes of earthquakes. The logical order of curriculum content helps pupils to learn well. 17 and 18 January 2023

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Staff are suitably expert in teaching the curriculum. They plan many opportunities to recap on key information, so that pupils remember what they have learned. Teachers provide helpful models to show pupils how to approach their work. They explain new information clearly. Adults make regular checks on pupils’ understanding. They ask questions and select well-chosen tasks to find out what pupils know. This allows them to identify and address any misconceptions. As a result, pupils grasp new concepts well.

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Leaders expect pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to access the school’s curriculum. Staff make careful adaptions to resources and tasks to realise this expectation. For instance, pupils in Year 6 learn about ‘substitution’ when studying algebra. Adults spend more time and use additional resources, to illustrate the idea of ‘substitution’ to pupils with SEND. This equips these pupils with the ability to complete simple algebraic problems.

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Leaders make the teaching of reading a priority. Pupils in the early stages of learning to read have daily phonics lessons. These lessons are well organised. Pupils who need the most help are taught in small groups where additional adults provide extra support. Staff ensure pupils practise reading books that are matched to their abilities. Most pupils are very able readers by the time they leave the school.

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Pupils are sensible and typically behave well in lessons. They are eager to learn and enjoy sharing their answers and opinions. They appreciate that staff recognise their positive behaviour and hard work. For example, many pupils wear an array of ‘total recall’ badges awarded for achievements in mathematics. Occasionally pupils’ individual needs are manifested through challenging behaviours. Leaders manage these situations well. Some pupils who have found learning a challenge in the past now successfully take part in lessons. The school is calm and conducive to learning. Most pupils enjoy attending. However, patterns of attendance at school have changed since the pandemic began. Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as leaders expect.

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The school’s curriculum promotes pupils’ understanding of different cultures. Pupils learn about diversity and the importance of equality. They are encouraged to contribute to society and take part in charitable works. For example, pupils’ recent harvest festival collections have made a valuable contribution to the local food bank.

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Leaders have fostered a positive, professional culture for staff to work in. Staff morale is high. Teachers appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with other colleagues across the school and trust. They feel valued by school leaders and enjoy working at the school. This benefits pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take their responsibility to safeguard pupils seriously. Adults know what to do if they have concerns about a child, and they report matters quickly. A dedicated team of staff provides ongoing support for pupils who need help and involve external agencies when necessary. 17 and 18 January 2023

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Leaders complete the required checks to ensure the suitability of adults before they work or volunteer at the school.

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Pupils learn how to recognise risks and keep themselves safe. They have been taught to understand early warning signs and know what to do about them. This includes them learning about potential dangers when using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils have not attended school as regularly as leaders expect since the pandemic. This hinders them in reaching their full potential. Leaders should continue to work with families to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly.

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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 predecessor school, Shipston- on-Stour Primary School, to be good in April 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.

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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. 17 and 18 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240654 Type of school Primary

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School details

Headteacher Christian Hilton (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Website http://www.shipston.warwickshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.  The school manages a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school is part of The Stour Federation Academy Trust.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the executive headteacher and other senior leaders. He also met with representatives of those responsible for governance and trust executives.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each of these subjects, he 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. 17 and 18 January 2023

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 The inspector also spoke to staff about the curriculum in some other subjects.  Through discussions with leaders, pupils and staff, the inspector considered how effectively pupils are safeguarded. He also looked at documents related to safeguarding including the school’s single central record of checks on staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of different classes and at different times of the day.  The inspector considered responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. This included free-text comments. He also took account of responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.  The inspector visited the before-school provision and spoke to pupils who attend.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Leonard, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 January 2023

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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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