Pirbright Village Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Pirbright Village Primary School School Lane, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0JN

p.1

Inspection dates: 17 and 18 January 2023

p.1

Outcome

Pirbright Village Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn in a happy environment where leaders always put the needs of pupils first. Pupils work hard, are polite and form very strong relationships with their friends and the adults who look after them. They feel safe. Parents agree. One parent, typical of many commented, ‘The care and compassion shown by staff is exemplary.’

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

High expectations of learning are set in the Reception classes. Young children quickly develop a love of learning and this carries on throughout the school. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They are respectful, kind and enjoy the challenges that their teachers set them. Pupils delight in the opportunities provided to discuss their work with one another. They say that this helps them really understand. Pupils are proud of their school and their community. They have positive attitudes to all their learning and strive to embody school values such as respect and resilience.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers are excellent role models. Pupils are encouraged to take advantage of their learning opportunities and achieve their best. They are also encouraged to do this with humility and tolerance. Parents refer to this as ‘The Pirbright way’. Bullying is rare. If it does happen, adults take swift action to find a resolution.

p.1

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious, well-planned curriculum that captures pupils’ interests and enables them to achieve well. Subject leaders make sure that pupils learn the right concepts and content in the right order. Nonetheless, in a few foundation subjects, leaders have not identified or sequenced what pupils need to learn precisely enough. As a result, in a few subjects, sometimes pupils do not build on previous knowledge as well as they could. Leaders are continuing to prioritise training to make sure that subject leaders are as effective as they can be in leading their subjects.

p.1

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

Reading is a priority for leaders. Pupils have a love of reading. They especially enjoy listening to their teacher read to their class. Phonics teaching is effective. Children in 17 and 18 January 2023

p.1

2

Reception quickly learn the initial sounds of letters. They practise these sounds regularly. As they progress, they learn how to break down the sounds in individual words. Pupils rapidly improve their skills and grow in confidence. Regular checks make sure that pupils are on track. Teachers take swift action if pupils are falling behind to help them catch up. Older pupils read a wide variety of quality texts. This develops their vocabulary and improves their comprehension skills.

p.2

2

Early number is taught well. Young children are given many opportunities to discover number during lessons in formal learning and play. A structured approach to pupils’ development of number throughout the school makes learning effective. Pupils can apply their understanding of number effectively. For example, older pupils can accurately convert metric measures such as millilitres and grams to litres and kilogrammes respectively.

p.2

2

The early years environment is stimulating and caters well for all the areas of learning. Good routines and high expectations mean that children have a solid foundation to build on as they start school. Staff quickly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils are supported well. If they need extra help, staff provide both academic and emotional help.

p.2

2

Across the school, teachers have good subject knowledge and regularly check on pupils’ understanding. At the start of topics, they review previous learning. This helps pupils to remember previous knowledge and to know where new content ‘fits in’. This approach helps pupils to develop a good understanding of key concepts, such as chronology in history.

p.2

2

Teachers plan interesting topics that bring together learning in a range of subjects. Pupils are able to use knowledge learned in one subject, and then apply it to another. This helps to strengthen their understanding. For example, in Year 6, pupils apply their knowledge of mathematics, English and design technology to plan ‘ration recipes’ in their Second World War topic. Pupils also say that art and design lessons help them to reflect on their learning in other subjects.

p.2

2

Pupils have many opportunities to take on roles and responsibilities. These start with ‘Tidy Teams’ in Reception, moving on to roles such as sports leaders and peer mediators. Learning champions use their knowledge to help younger pupils develop their learning. Both pupils and their parents appreciate the diverse range of quality activities that pupils can join in with after school. Pupils highly value ‘bubble time’, when they can make an appointment with a trusted adult to discuss any concerns or worries.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Working in partnership, the trust and school leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding. Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. Staff are well trained, knowledgeable and confident in what action to take if they have a concern regarding a pupil’s safety. Records are detailed. Any required actions are followed up swiftly. Leaders 17 and 18 January 2023

p.2

3

are persistent in their contact with outside agencies, making sure that pupils get the help they need.

p.3

3

Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They feel empowered by regular workshops provided by the National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children. Pupils have regular lessons on how to stay safe when using the internet.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified precisely enough the sequence of skills and knowledge they would like pupils to learn. As a result, some pupils are not able to build on what they already know and deepen their understanding. Leaders need to make sure that subject leaders identify the explicit knowledge and skills they want pupils to acquire, correctly sequenced.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2017.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 17 and 18 January 2023

p.3

4

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

p.4

School details

Website www.pirbrightvillageprimaryschool.com

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 28 March 2017

p.5

Information about this school

 Pirbright Village Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2014. It is one of 12 schools in the Learning Partners Academy Trust. The trust delegates some strategic responsibilities to the school’s local governing body. This is set out in the trust’s scheme of delegation.  The school manages before- and after-school childcare provision.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.5

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 met with the headteacher and other school staff.  The inspector also met with members of the local governing body, including the chair, and spoke to representatives of the trustees and the trust’s chief executive officer.  The inspector spoke with the trust’s appointed school improvement partner. 17 and 18 January 2023

p.5

6

 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum planning, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector spoke with staff, pupils, governors and the trust’s designated safeguarding lead. The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss safeguarding and review records and documentation. The inspector reviewed information about the recruitment of staff.  Views and comments from parents were considered using the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector spoke to staff and groups of pupils from different year groups. He observed behaviour in classrooms and during lunchtime.  The views of staff and pupils, including responses to Ofsted’s online surveys, were

p.6

Inspection team

Bill James, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 January 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7