St Gabriel's CofE Academy

Inspection of St Gabriel's CofE Academy Houlton Way, Houlton, Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 1AN

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 7 and 8 February 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils do really well in their education at St Gabriel’s. They enjoy their lessons. Trustees, governors, school leaders and the whole staff team have high expectations for pupils. To fulfil these expectations, pupils work hard. They try their hardest in lessons.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons. Teachers and pupils alike understand the system used for managing behaviour. They agree the system works well. Older and younger pupils play nicely together on the playground. Pupils are polite and respectful around school. Staff deal well with occasional incidents of bullying. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe in lessons. Leaders see educating pupils to stay safe online as very important. Pupils feel safe in school. They appreciate the work staff do to help them stay safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

School staff run the ‘Angels’ breakfast and after-school clubs. Leaders provide a wide range of extra opportunities for pupils. When attending Angels, pupils meet with and enjoy the company of their friends. Many clubs are available for pupils to attend in school. There are also opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. These include visits to places of interest, such as the National Space Centre. Pupils enjoyed participating in the Young Voices choir event held recently in Birmingham.

p.2

better?

When children join in Nursery or Reception they get off to a flying start to their education. The leader and her caring team are committed to ensuring children become confident and independent learners. As soon as they join the school, children start to learn the basics of reading. Teachers select high-quality texts to read to children daily. They bring stories alive and successfully foster a love of reading in children. By the end of Reception, many children are well prepared to progress into Year 1.

p.2

better?

Reading is a high priority throughout the school. Staff identify the small number of pupils who are falling behind in their reading. The extra support provided helps these pupils to catch up. The effective teaching of reading skills ensures pupils become successful and fluent readers.

p.2

better?

Leaders have developed a high-quality curriculum. It is ambitious for pupils. Well planned sequences of learning are clearly identified. These ensure teachers know what to teach and when to teach it. The curriculum structure helps pupils to know and remember more over time. Teachers assess pupils regularly. However, occasionally, a few teachers fail to check on what pupils know and can remember. This leads to some gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This can hinder future learning, when some pupils struggle to remember key knowledge. School leaders know this and are seeking to strengthen assessment techniques across school. 7 and 8 February 2023

p.2

3

Pupils behave well and learning takes place without interruption. Behaviour expectations are clear. They contribute well to the effective learning which takes place. Pupils are keen to learn and please their teachers.

p.3

3

The Christian values of love, community, respect, growth, and integrity underpin all that happens in school. Leaders see the wider development of pupils as important and the key to helping pupils flourish and become successful in life. Pupils take part in a wide range of activities, which helps to build their cultural capital. Pupils study the work of a diverse range of authors, important people in history, and artists. These include people like Camilla Franks and King Richard III. School prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

p.3

3

The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. The leader of SEND provides the best possible support for this group of pupils. Their individual needs are skilfully identified. The support pupils receive helps them to access the same ambitious curriculum as other pupils. Leaders also use support from specialist outside agencies. This helps pupils with SEND to achieve very well. However, parents are not well enough informed by leaders about the sterling work which is being done to support pupils with SEND.

p.3

3

The governing body and trustees have a strong strategic vision rooted in Christian values. They are an effective group, who support and challenge leaders as required. Leaders use extra funding diligently to support groups of pupils. These include disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Overall, leaders communicate well with parents. However, they recognise there is more they can do to ensure parents are fully informed about aspects of school life.

p.3

3

Staff workload has reduced. The staff are appreciative of the work leaders do to help them achieve a good work life balance.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The culture of safeguarding in school is robust. Training is up to date for staff and governors. Staff benefit from the regular safeguarding updates shared with them. Staff know what signs to look for in pupils at risk. They know what to do when concerns arise. Staff follow up concerns and log them in line with school guidance.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders work well with external partners to help keep pupils safe and provide any extra support needed. How to stay safe runs through the curriculum, so pupils know what to do to stay safe. 7 and 8 February 2023

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, teachers do not check what key knowledge pupils have remembered well enough. This means that they do not spot and address gaps in pupils’ learning. Leaders should ensure that all teachers carefully check what pupils know and address any gaps in their learning.  Leaders have not communicated well enough with parents, including in how behaviour is managed and how pupils with SEND are supported. Leaders should share more explicitly with parents how their approach to managing behaviour is rooted in the school values and how they support pupils with SEND.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 and 8 February 2023

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10256826 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the school opened in 2018 it has not previously been inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  This is a Church of England Academy with a Christian ethos. The school is awaiting its first section 48 inspection, which is not due this academic year.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and two assistant headteachers. In addition, the lead inspector spoke with two external learning improvement partners, who have both been working with the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the 7 and 8 February 2023

p.5

6

curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects, scrutinised books and met with pupils to discuss their learning.  The inspectors met with those responsible for leading safeguarding arrangements at the school. They also discussed arrangements for safeguarding with a range of staff to check the effectiveness of safeguarding in the school. In addition, they scrutinised training logs and records of actions taken to keep pupils safe.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted surveys of staff, pupils and parents.

p.6

Inspection team

Declan McCauley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Nadeem Bhatti Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 February 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