Shifnal Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Shifnal Primary School Curriers Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire TF11 8EJ

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Outcome

Shifnal Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school each day. They know each other well and treat one another respectfully. Pupils’ behaviour around school is typically calm and pleasant. Teachers sort out issues to make sure that any poor behaviour and bullying are not repeated. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond to the high expectations that leaders have for them. Parents and carers agree, with one comment, typical of many, stating, ‘teachers understand my children well and are able to challenge and encourage them to ensure they achieve their best.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have worked with staff and governors to design a new behaviour system. Pupils understand the new school rules of ‘We show respect, we are kind, we always try our best’. One pupil commented, ‘The rules keep us safe and remind us to be nice to each other.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is well planned to help pupils gain new knowledge and learn about the world in which they live. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum makes effective use of the local area through planned trips. They have also carefully selected themes that take into account a range of cultures and celebrate diversity. These include studying African empires and the life of Rosa Parks in history.

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

Leaders have a clear vision for the school. They have high aspirations for all staff and pupils. Leaders know the school well and have developed a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. This curriculum has early years as its starting point. For example, pupils in the provision for two-year olds and nursery learn and use important mathematical vocabulary, 2 and 3 March 2023

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such as ‘shorter’, ‘longer’ and ‘full’, when playing with water outside. This language is then successfully built upon in later years.

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Since the previous inspection, leaders have developed the school’s curriculum. The curriculum shows most of the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. In computing, for example, pupils in key stage 2 build on programming knowledge that they have learned in key stage 1 in order to de-bug a set of instructions. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers are unclear about the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. In these subjects, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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Leaders are determined that all pupils learn to read as soon as they can. One member of staff commented, ‘Nothing gets in the way of the teaching of phonics’. Leaders ensure that staff who teach early reading are well trained. Leaders quickly provide support to any pupil struggling with their reading. Staff check that the reading books pupils take home match the sounds that they know. Leaders have ensured that pupils have access to a good range of fiction and non-fiction texts to support their learning across the curriculum. Staff skilfully bring books alive, and pupils say that they love to read. Leaders’ actions ensure that pupils develop into fluent and confident readers.

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Pupils concentrate and work hard in lessons because teachers make learning interesting. They also use quality resources and clearly explain tasks to pupils. Teachers assess what pupils have learned and use this information well to modify, consolidate and develop pupils’ learning. They also make use of regular ‘quizzes’ to help pupils remember their learning over time.

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Leaders make sure that they quickly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that staff and parents are clear about the extra support a pupil may need. As a result, teachers make suitable adaptations so that all pupils with SEND can join in lessons and follow the curriculum.

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Pupils talk enthusiastically about school trips. For example, they visit the town’s former fire station. This enriches their understanding of past events and ensures they can remember the historical facts that they learn on these trips. Pupils are given many opportunities to take on responsibility in school. This might include being a school councillor, sports ambassador or well-being champion. Through these responsibilities, pupils are able to contribute well to school life. Pupils learn about how to keep healthy, and they enjoy a range of sporting clubs.

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Staff are proud to work at the school and support each other well. They appreciate that leaders and governors have considered their workload and well-being. A comment from one member of staff was typical when they said, ‘We have the time to do what needs to be done.’

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Governors understand their statutory duties well. They form link partnerships with staff to check on the quality of education and monitor the well-being of the school community. This helps them to challenge and support school leaders. 2 and 3 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide staff with regular safeguarding updates and training. This ensures that staff can identify any concerns and are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. They record and report promptly any concerns they may have. Governors also have a particular strength in understanding safeguarding.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work closely with other professionals to ensure that pupils and their families get appropriate support. Through personal, social and health education, pupils learn how to stay healthy, have positive relationships and recognise risk, including when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not ensured that teachers are clear about the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and when they should learn it. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should make sure that pupils’ essential learning is made clear in all subjects.

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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 March 2013.

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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. 2 and 3 March 2023

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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. 2 and 3 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10257001 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 29 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders make use of one registered and one unregistered alternative provider.  The school has a breakfast and after-school club.

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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 school leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector held meetings with the headteacher and deputy headteachers. He also met six members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector held a meeting with a representative of the local authority. 2 and 3 March 2023

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 The inspector viewed a range of safeguarding documentation. He examined checks on safer recruitment and spoke with members of staff to check their safeguarding knowledge.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. He met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and viewed examples of pupils’ work. The inspector also spoke to the subject leaders for science, geography and computing.  The inspector observed children in the early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 read to a trusted adult.  The inspector spoke with members of staff about their workload and well-being.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspector considered the responses, including the free-text comments, to Ofsted Parent View. He also considered the responses to the staff and pupil surveys. The inspector spoke to parents and carers at the end of the school day.

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Inspection team

Barry Yeardsley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 March 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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