Walsgrave Church of England Academy

Inspection of Walsgrave Church of England Academy School House Lane, Coventry, West Midlands CV2 2BA

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 January 2023

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Walsgrave Church of England Academy as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

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 of the predecessor school. 25 and 26 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and welcoming school. Pupils enjoy the strong sense of community in the school, and its inclusive culture. Leaders’ vision, ‘Together we thrive’, is evident in their high expectations and in the positive relationships that exist between staff and pupils. The school’s values can be seen on the vibrant walls in corridors and mirrored in the way pupils conduct themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave extremely well. In lessons, pupils listen carefully to their teachers and enjoy different learning activities. At social times, pupils smile as they play together with friends. Pupils are polite and well-mannered, particularly when talking to visitors. High levels of pastoral care ensure that pupils feel safe. Bullying is rare, and leaders take decisive action to deal with any incidents when they occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a broad range of subjects as part of their curriculum. Leaders have spent time thinking carefully about how pupils build their knowledge and understanding over time. This is helping pupils to know and remember more.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. As one parent commented in response to Ofsted’s survey: ‘I love the community engagement of the school and how staff love seeing my son grow and learn. He is flourishing.’

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better?

Leaders have constructed an ambitious curriculum. With support from the trust, school leaders have set out the knowledge and skills pupils should learn, from the early years to Year 6. The curriculum is logically sequenced so that pupils can build on prior learning and make connections between the topics they are studying. In many subjects, pupils can talk confidently about what they know and understand.

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better?

Leaders place great emphasis on helping children learn to read. This begins midway through Nursery, where children learn one sound a week, before progressing to a more structured programme in Reception. The school’s phonics programme is sequenced effectively to help children develop their understanding of letters and sounds. Teachers ensure that the books children read are well matched to their phonic knowledge. Leaders put support in place for children in Reception who are behind with their phonics. However, they do not check what phonic sounds they can remember regularly enough. This means that some children in Reception are below where they should be.

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better?

Teachers use their subject knowledge well to deliver the curriculum. This is particularly the case in mathematics. Teachers use resources effectively to help pupils make sense of key concepts. There are consistent routines in lessons, where pupils have opportunities to recall prior learning. As a result, pupils enjoy their learning in mathematics and make good progress. 25 and 26 January 2023

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In other subjects, leaders have used the national curriculum to set out what pupils should know by the end of each year. In addition, leaders have carefully set out the smaller blocks of learning pupils need to know in each topic. Leaders recognise that the implementation of the intended curriculum in some subjects is further along than it is in others. Teachers use different methods to assess pupils’ knowledge in the wider curriculum. This includes end of unit tests to check what pupils can remember. However, this information is not used consistently well to address gaps in knowledge when they emerge.

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Teachers support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Leaders have ensured there are appropriate systems in place to help identify pupils who may have additional needs. Teachers scaffold tasks suitably and use resources well so that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum. Leaders monitor the progress of pupils with SEND carefully, and intervene where necessary to provide support.

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Leaders ensure that pupils have many different opportunities for their wider personal development. Pupils take part in a range of different extra-curricular clubs, such as sport, dance and choir. The school’s personal, social and health education (PSHE) is well structured. Over time, pupils develop their understanding of how to stay healthy and safe, both physically and mentally. Pupils also learn about different types of relationships in an age-appropriate way. Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values through assemblies and voting for members of the school council. There are several ways that pupils work with the local community, such as fundraising, planting in the community and remembrance events. Pupils enjoy the different ways they can be part of wider school life.

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Governors are extremely committed to the school and provide effective support and challenge to leaders. They understand their delegated responsibilities from the trust, and carry these out well. Trust leaders are highly effective and have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for further development. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school and are proud to work here.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure all appropriate checks are carried out on adults before they begin working at the school.

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Safeguarding

Staff are clear about what they need to record and whom they should speak to if they have a concern about a child. Staff receive regular training on safeguarding and have secure knowledge of local issues. Leaders keep accurate records of safeguarding incidents and act quickly to ensure that pupils get the help they need in a timely way. Pupils learn to keep themselves and others safe through the school’s PSHE curriculum, assemblies and visitors to school, such as the police. 25 and 26 January 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff do not assess pupils’ phonic progress with sufficient frequency to identify those who are falling behind with the programme. This means that, in Reception, there are some children who are behind where they should be in their reading development. Leaders should ensure that staff assess children’s phonic knowledge more regularly so that any child who falls behind is given targeted supported immediately.  Leaders’ use of assessment in the wider curriculum is still in the early stages of development. At present, it is unclear how teachers use assessment information to address gaps in knowledge when they are identified. Leaders should continue to refine their use of assessment in the wider curriculum so that it accurately pinpoints gaps in knowledge to help teachers plan subsequent 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. 25 and 26 January 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Inspire Education Trust in August 2015.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Church of England Diocese of Coventry. The school’s last section 48 inspection was in December 2022. The school’s next inspection will be within eight years of the previous section 48 inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 focused on the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history and geography. Inspectors examined leaders’ curriculum plans, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked with pupils about the way these 25 and 26 January 2023

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subjects are taught. They also looked at other subjects to check how they are planned and taught.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents. These included information about behaviour, attendance, the school curriculum and improvement planning. The school website was also checked.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors talked to staff and leaders about safeguarding arrangements. They examined how leaders make employment checks on staff and scrutinised further safeguarding records. They also asked how incidents reported by pupils are recorded and analysed.  Inspectors observed informal times of the day to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors held meetings with the chief executive officer, a trust director, members of the local governing body, the head of primary education, the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and pupils. They also talked

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informally to pupils and staff to gather general information about school life.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Mark Howes, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Roulla Gabriel Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 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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