Sutton Veny CofE School

Inspection of Sutton Veny CofE School High Street, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire BA12 7AP

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Inspection dates: 28 February and 1 March 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 16 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children get off to a flying start in the Reception Year. They are skilfully supported by staff to quickly develop strong communication skills. Children thrive in the early years. They are keen and independent learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff support pupils’ personal development with an enrichment curriculum. For example, pupils learn about falconry and take part in yoga sessions. Key stage 2 pupils enjoy a wide range of after-school clubs, such as choir, dance and street surfing. They look forward to the residential visits. Pupils say the adventure activities help you to ‘conquer your fears’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the roles and responsibilities they hold at school. They help leaders to improve the school as school councillors, sports ambassadors and digital leaders. Pupils know the importance of Anzac Day in their local community. They take part in remembrance activities each year. Parents and pupils say the school is like a ‘family’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils are polite and show each other respect. They know how the school’s motto, ‘Together, through friendship, in peace and with courage, we reach for the stars’, helps them make good choices. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens.

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better?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for children in the Reception Year. Early years staff have designed an ambitious curriculum. They use the clearly sequenced curriculum to plan for and assess children’s development accurately. Staff carefully and successfully match learning resources and activities to meet children’s needs. Staff support children well to build on what they already know. As a result, children in Reception Year, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are very well prepared for Year 1.

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better?

The school’s curriculum for pupils in Years 1 to 6 matches the ambition of the early years in some subjects. The essential knowledge leaders want pupils to know and remember is clearly identified in these subjects. This supports teachers to check pupils’ knowledge accurately. They use this information to adapt learning activities to deepen pupils’ knowledge or to help pupils catch up quickly. Teaching ensures that pupils secure knowledge well, including pupils with SEND. By the time pupils reach Year 6, for example, they can explain their mathematical thinking and reasoning effectively.

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better?

Nevertheless, the essential knowledge leaders want pupils to know and remember is not identified in some wider curriculum subjects. In such cases, teaching does not check pupils’ subject knowledge and, sometimes, moves on to the next learning activity too quickly. When this occurs, pupils do not build new knowledge and make links between important concepts. For example, the school’s curriculum intends that 28 February and 1 March 2023

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pupils compare similarities and differences between the invasion of Britain by the Romans and the Anglo-Saxons. However, pupils do not have sufficient knowledge to do this.

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Leaders rightly make it a priority for pupils to learn to read. Children in Reception Year start to learn phonics straightaway. Pupils who need additional help are supported effectively with extra practice. Staff listen to pupils read regularly. Staff check that pupils know and use their phonic knowledge when reading. This helps pupils improve their reading fluency and comprehension well. However, staff do not consistently check that pupils use their phonic knowledge to spell words correctly. Leaders have plans to rectify this.

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In class, teachers share high-quality texts with pupils. They carefully select a diverse range of books to teach pupils about people’s lives different from their own. Staff encourage pupils to listen to each other. Leaders help pupils to be responsible individuals who show respect for each other and the world around them. As a result, pupils deepen their knowledge of British values well.

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Leaders and staff have high hopes for pupils’ behaviour. They promote positive behaviour choices with praise. Staff successfully support pupils who need help to understand their emotions. Pupils appreciate the ‘recognition boards’ that celebrate when they go above and beyond expectations. Pupils learn to be active citizens in their school community. For example, some pupils contribute as young worship leaders.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the support and consideration of leaders for their well-being. Governors are keen to find ways to reduce staff’s workload while maintaining standards. Leaders, including governors, have a clear vision for the school’s development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Before staff and volunteers begin working at the school, leaders complete the necessary safeguarding checks. A well-planned induction process explains leaders’ expectations for staff to report safeguarding concerns clearly. Regular training and updates help staff fulfil their safeguarding roles and responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take appropriate action to seek advice and help from external agencies. They secure support for vulnerable pupils and their families swiftly.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. For example, they know to look for the padlock symbol when viewing websites. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to remember. The curriculum does not guide teachers precisely enough about what knowledge should be taught and assessed. As a result, teaching does not support pupils to secure their knowledge of important concepts in Years 1 to 6. Leaders need to identify essential subject content, ensuring that assessment is precise so that pupils know and remember more in these foundation subject curriculums.

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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.

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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.

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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. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Dr Thomas Finnie

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 July 2007, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a local authority maintained school.  It is a Church of England School within the Diocese of Salisbury.  The headteacher was appointed in June 2021.  There are seven classes in the school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

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

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher, staff, pupils, governors, including the chair of the governing body, a local authority representative and a representative from the Diocese of Salisbury.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a known adult.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also looked at pupils’ work and spoke with pupils and leaders about English, history, geography, art and the early years.  The inspectors also observed pupils during breaktimes and spoke with pupils and leaders about personal, social and health education and opportunities for pupils’

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personal development.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including records of safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school. They considered how well the designated safeguarding lead acts on concerns about pupils’ safety and welfare. The inspectors spoke to pupils, staff and governors about safeguarding practices.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. She also took into consideration the responses to the surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Marie Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ross Newman Ofsted Inspector 28 February and 1 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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