Long Itchington CofE Academy

Inspection of a good school: Long Itchington CofE Academy Stockton Road, Long Itchington, Southam, Warwickshire CV47 9QP

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 January 2023

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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 happy and safe at Long Itchington CofE Academy. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They try hard to live by the school’s values ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart’. Incidents of bullying are dealt with effectively by school leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Reading is well taught. Trips and visits broaden pupils’ experiences. For example, a visit to Coventry Cathedral helps older pupils to deepen their knowledge of the World Wars. Lego club and sports clubs help pupils to develop their talents and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders do not identify some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly enough. As a result, expectations for pupils with SEND are not high enough, and leaders do not know how well they achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders do not set high enough expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Staff have not been trained in the school’s approach ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’. Pupils do not always move around school in a calm and orderly way, particularly younger pupils. Low-level disruption in some lessons affects how well pupils learn in school. Parents and carers expressed concern about the behaviour of pupils and the lack of response from leaders to their concerns.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. They make sure teachers have the training and resources they need to teach the majority of subjects. Work given to most pupils meets their learning needs. Teachers recap prior learning at the start of lessons which helps pupils to remember more over time. Teachers check pupils’ work in lessons and as they progress through the curriculum. This helps them to identify gaps in learning and clarify misconceptions. Overall, most pupils achieve well. 25 and 26 January 2023

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Leaders prioritise reading. Staff are trained to teach phonics effectively. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading. Books that children read match the sounds they are learning. This helps pupils to practise and apply their phonic knowledge when reading. Pupils that fall behind are well supported to catch up. As a result, pupils over time become fluent, confident readers.

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Leaders have not ensured that the pupils with SEND are identified swiftly. There is a delay in accessing the support they need to learn well. Staff have not received training to identify and support pupils with SEND effectively. They do not always know who to go to for help. Staff are unclear on the school’s process for identifying and supporting these pupils. As a result, there are inconsistencies in how leaders cater for pupils with SEND.

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Children in the early years benefit from a well-structured curriculum. Staff plan a variety of interesting activities for children, both indoors and outside. Children practise and apply learning throughout the day when working independently. For example, they practise weighing items and counting out up to five objects. However, pupils in the early years do not develop positive attitudes toward their learning. This is because staff do not have high enough expectations of how children should behave. This sometimes results in disruption to learning. Staff have not ensured that children with additional needs are identified swiftly enough. For example, some younger children with speech and language needs have not received the support they need. This impacts how well they achieve.

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Leaders provide a wide range of experiences to promote pupils’ personal development. Pupils develop their understanding of tolerance and respect by learning about other cultures and religions, including Christianity, Sikhism and Hinduism. They enjoy finding out about celebrations such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. Pupils enjoy opportunities to become eco-leaders and spiritual leaders which allow them to take on responsibilities in school. Debates and voting activities help pupils to explore democracy. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of positive, respectful and healthy relationships. All this helps to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

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Senior leaders have not prioritised some key aspects of the school’s work. Expectations for how well pupils behave are not high enough and at times this disrupts learning. Despite recent support from the trust to improve leadership, the provision for pupils with SEND remains inconsistent. Leaders do not have effective oversight of how well pupils with SEND achieve.

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Staff are positive about the support from leaders to manage their workload and well- being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise the welfare of pupils. They make sure that staff attend regular safeguarding training. This includes topics such as child-on-child abuse and preventing radicalisation and extremism. Staff are able to identify and respond to concerns about pupil 25 and 26 January 2023

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safety. Leaders work well with external agencies so that pupils in need of help get the support they need.

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Pupils learn about online safety and how to keep safe near water . They know how to raise concerns with trusted adults in school.

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Leaders undertake appropriate checks on all staff before they start work at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not ensured pupils with SEND are identified swiftly enough. This means pupils with SEND do not benefit from support at the right time to be successful in school. Leaders should ensure all staff know how to identify pupils with SEND quickly. They should make sure that pupils with SEND get the support they need to achieve well in school.  Teachers do not have high enough expectations of how well pupils behave in school. This means that pupils’ behaviour can sometimes disrupt learning. Leaders should ensure that staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour so that low-level disruption is not tolerated and learning is not disrupted.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Long Itchington CofE Primary School, to be good in May 2018.

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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. 25 and 26 January 2023

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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 Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust in October 2018.  The school’s last inspection under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 for schools of a religious character took place in January 2016.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in geography, mathematics and early reading. These included visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, examining curriculum guidance and talking with pupils and staff. The inspector looked in detail at pupils’ work from a sample of other subjects. They also discussed the curriculum with subject leaders.  The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. The inspector reviewed reading resources.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation on the school’s website. 25 and 26 January 2023

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 The inspector scrutinised the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included examining the record of employment checks on school staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times during the day.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead, curriculum leaders, representatives of the Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust and a representative from the diocese.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View, and the pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector 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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