Mickleton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Mickleton Primary School Broadmarston Lane, Mickleton, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6SJ

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Outcome

Mickleton Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to belong to this inclusive and happy school. Leaders ensure that the school’s values and motto, ‘To become the person I need to be’, are at the centre of everything they do. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported and participate fully in all aspects of school life. Pupils work hard and enjoy learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations of behaviour are high, including for Reception-aged children. Here, children make an excellent start to their school life. As they grow in this nurturing environment, pupils develop confidence and self-esteem. Pupils feel safe and trust staff to help with any worries or disagreements. If bullying occurs, leaders deal with it effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to enrich their learning. They are eager to take on leadership roles or compete in sporting and inter-house challenges. Pupils benefit from a range of clubs and activities that help to foster their interests and talents. They understand the importance of treating everyone fairly and respectfully. Pupils learn how to appreciate and debate different viewpoints on important topics and current affairs. They value being part of the wider village community and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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

Leaders are passionate about providing the best learning opportunities for pupils, including those with SEND. They have ensured that the curriculum is broad and ambitious. Leaders have identified the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn in each subject. In subjects such as mathematics and art, staff receive regular training to enable them to confidently teach the school curriculum. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not fully considered how pupils will learn the intended curriculum. As a result, teaching does not always consistently build on existing knowledge and pupils do not achieve as well as they could. 7 and 8 February 2023 The recently introduced phonics programme begins as soon as children start school. Pupils love to visit the attractive and well-stocked book areas and the school library. Each day they listen with excitement to the carefully selected books that enthusiastic staff read

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

to them. Pupils who find reading difficult receive regular support. However, leaders’ work to improve the teaching of reading is not finished. While the curriculum is well structured, leaders have not yet made sure that all staff have the expert knowledge they need to deliver the programme effectively. This means that some pupils who struggle to learn to read do not catch up as quickly as they should.

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

In the early years, leaders have considered each area of learning and how children progress from entry into Reception and then beyond to Year 1. The learning environment is purposeful and inviting. It is a place where children thrive, with focused activity and positive relationships. Right from the start children learn important skills, such as curiosity and resilience, exceptionally well. Staff teach children to regulate their emotions, take turns with equipment and settle into school routines. Partnerships with parents and carers are strong and built on highly effective communication. Children receive the help and support they need to achieve highly.

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

Pupils are polite and courteous. In lessons, staff help pupils to focus on their work. Pupils follow the established school routines well. Staff skilfully support any pupil who may require extra help with their social and emotional skills. Pupils listen carefully in lessons. Teaching is adapted to include everyone, including those with SEND.

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

Leaders are determined that pupils should thrive in their personal as well as academic development. The personal, social and health education is well sequenced and gets pupils ready for their move to secondary school. Pupils learn the important values to be successful both in school and beyond. They know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils understand the importance of healthy relationships and how to treat everyone with respect. They take their responsibilities seriously, particularly charity fundraising and the work they do to improve the areas of the school.

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

Those responsible for governance know the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They provide well-considered support and challenge to leaders. Staff are very proud to work at this school. They appreciate the help they receive to improve professionally and maintain their well-being. Leaders are mindful of staff workload and do all they can to manage this effectively. Parents spoken to and those who completed the survey are overwhelmingly positive. One parent, expressing views that were typical of many, said, ‘My children go into and come out of school smiling. They receive exceptional care and encouragement from the dedicated staff team. This school is a real asset to our village.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders and staff get to know their pupils and families very well. Staff are alert and recognise the potential signs of harm to pupils. They report concerns promptly and record these accurately. When needed, leaders refer 7 and 8 February 2023 concerns to external safeguarding partners. They pursue these referrals to ensure that pupils and families get prompt support. Leaders make sure that staff and governors receive up-to-date training. Checks on adults appointed to work in school are thorough and monitored effectively by leaders. Minor weaknesses in safeguarding identified during the inspection were swiftly resolved.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The approach to teaching phonics is not consistently effective. Some staff lack the expertise in ensuring that all pupils make secure progress and in knowing how to support the weakest readers to catch up quickly. Leaders need to make sure that all staff have the knowledge and confidence to deliver the chosen phonics programme effectively.  In some subjects, leaders have not fully considered how teaching will support pupils to learn the intended curriculum. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that they support teachers to build on pupils’ prior learning and help them to remember long term the most important content.

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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 school to be good in October 2012.

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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. 7 and 8 February 2023 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

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School details

Inspection number 10256758 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school runs its own morning breakfast club and after-school club for pupils.

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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 meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspector met with two governors, including the chair of governors. He also had a meeting with a representative from Gloucestershire local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and teaching assistants, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. The inspector also heard pupils read. 7 and 8 February 2023  The inspector considered the wider curriculum, met with the humanities curriculum

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Information about this inspection

leader and looked at samples of pupils’ work in history.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector reviewed a wide range of safeguarding documentation, including the school’s record of recruitment checks. The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. The inspector also spoke with pupils and staff.  The inspector took account of parents’ responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ written comments. The inspector also spoke to groups of parents on the morning of the second day of this inspection.  The inspector gathered pupils’ views throughout each day, including during lesson visits.  The inspector met with a range of staff to gather their views about the school and took account of staff’s responses to Ofsted’s confidential staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Alan Derry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 7 and 8 February 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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