Curdworth Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Curdworth Primary School Farthing Lane, Curdworth, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B76 9HF

p.1

Outcome

Curdworth Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Curdworth Primary is a warm, welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils enjoy attending, are happy and feel safe. They know that adults care and look after them. Pupils are polite, confident and mature. They enjoy each other’s company and act with kindness. Everyone looks out for one another.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. They take responsibility for their own behaviour. Pupils can explain what bullying is. They know that it is not tolerated at this school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly focused on their learning. This includes in the early years, where children listen attentively and follow familiar routines.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ethos, ‘We are a small school with big opportunities’, comes alive here. Leaders provide a range of extra experiences. These include taking part in community events, fundraising and trips at home and abroad. Pupils make the most of the opportunities they have to develop their leadership skills. For example, some of the older pupils are ‘family leaders’ and help the younger ones at lunchtimes.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to demonstrate the school values of ‘respect, resilience, creativity, curiosity, teamwork and taking risks’ and are recognised as Curdworth Champion Learners.

p.1

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

The school is led and managed well. Leaders and trustees are clear in their ambition for the pupils. Teachers set high expectations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour. Every staff member aims for pupils to do their best. They ensure that pupils are motivated and engage well in learning. 28 February 2023

p.1

2

Leaders have created a broad and exciting curriculum from the early years to Year 6. All pupils benefit from this curriculum, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

p.2

2

In the core subjects, leaders have carefully broken down the important knowledge into smaller steps that pupils acquire over time. They have identified the order in which to teach each step, so that pupils’ learning builds securely on earlier learning. This helps to deepen pupils’ knowledge. In a few other subjects, leaders have not provided staff with enough information about the smaller components of knowledge that pupils need to learn. This makes it difficult for staff to make sure pupils learn everything that they need to know.

p.2

2

Teachers have good subject knowledge to teach the core subjects. They explain new learning well and build pupils’ understanding of new concepts step by step. Teachers regularly revisit previous learning to help pupils remember. They check pupils’ understanding of what they have been taught. However, in a few subjects, teachers’ subject knowledge is not as strong. In these subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they might.

p.2

2

Teachers make regular and precise assessments to see how well pupils have learned. They use this information to address misconceptions quickly and support pupils where needed.

p.2

2

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Children in the early years begin to learn phonics as soon as they start school. The words in their reading books contain the phonics that they know. This helps them to read successfully. Pupils learn to read more complex words as they move through key stage 1. Skilled staff provide swift support for any pupils who fall behind, so that they catch up quickly. Older pupils read a wide range of texts. Pupils speak enthusiastically about books they have read recently and the authors they know. Pupils have daily lessons where they read, talk and explore the meaning of texts, and practise reading out loud.

p.2

2

There is a systematic, consistent approach to managing behaviour. Staff know and understand pupils and their individual needs. Pupils understand the importance of behaving well. Disruption is rare. Pupils know the school rules and routines and follow them.

p.2

2

Leaders identify pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. Leaders are ambitious for these pupils to learn the full curriculum. Teachers involve external agencies when relevant. Pupils with SEND thrive in an environment where they can take a full part in school life.

p.2

2

Leaders’ provision for pupils’ broader development is high quality. Pupils learn about relationships, cultures and faiths. The school takes part in joint activities with other local schools, such as dodgeball and athletics events.

p.2

2

Staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders consider the well-being and workload of all staff members. Morale is high. 28 February 2023

p.2

3

Trust executives and senior leaders know the school well and have an accurate understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Leaders work well with trust leaders to further develop and strengthen the quality of education.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture at this school. Staff understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Training for all members of staff is frequent and up to date. Staff know how to spot changes in pupils’ behaviour that could signal they are at risk of harm. Record-keeping is thorough and appropriate. Leaders are tenacious in securing the right support for pupils, including from external agencies. This gets pupils the help they need.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to stay safe and behave responsibly in different situations, both online and when out in the community. Leaders ensure that all the necessary pre- employment checks on staff are completed.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, leaders have not set out the smaller components of knowledge that pupils need and the order in which they need to learn them. This makes it difficult for teachers to make sure pupils learn everything that leaders intend. Leaders should continue to review the design and delivery of the curriculum in foundation subjects. They should do this so that lessons enable pupils to develop the necessary depth and breadth of knowledge in all subjects.  In some cases, teachers’ subject knowledge could be better. This limits how well they implement the curriculum so that it deepens pupils’ learning as well as it might. Leaders should continue to provide training to develop teachers’ expertise to deliver the curriculum with even greater success.

p.3

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. 28 February 2023

p.3

4

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2011.

p.4

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.

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. 28 February 2023

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10256963 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Website www.curdworth.warwickshire.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 21 March 2017

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, Curdworth Primary School has become part of the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, a multi-academy trust. It converted to become an academy school in November 2018.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors completed deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. They met with subject leaders, visited lessons, including in the early years, reviewed pupils’ work and spoke with staff and pupils.  Inspectors reviewed information about other curriculum subjects and considered a range of information about pupils’ personal, social, health and economic education.  The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to staff. 28 February 2023

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with senior leaders, including the head of school and the assistant headteacher. The lead inspector held meetings with advocates, formerly known as governors, and the deputy chair of the board of trustees. The lead inspector also met with the trust’s primary strategic lead, the director of primary education and the chief executive officer. Meetings were held with curriculum leaders and the SEND coordinator.  Throughout the inspection, inspectors spoke with several groups of pupils, including some pupils with SEND, to hear their views about their education, behaviour and safety.  Inspectors met with some parents, considered correspondence from parents sent to Ofsted, and reviewed responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments.  The lead inspector spoke by telephone with the school’s external education consultant about the work of the school.  Inspectors spoke with groups of staff and parents and considered their responses to

p.6

6

the Ofsted survey.  Inspectors evaluated safeguarding by speaking with leaders, staff, pupils and parents. They also reviewed a sample of leaders’ records and documents. Inspectors reviewed the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures.

p.6

Inspection team

Lynda Townsend, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Nadeem Bhatti Ofsted Inspector 28 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