St Margaret's School, Tintinhull

Inspection of St Margaret’s School, Tintinhull School Close, Tintinhull, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8PX

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 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 Good Previous inspection grade Good 21 and 22 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils follow school values of inclusion and collaboration well. They are friendly, respectful and caring. They say that ‘other people should be treated as you would like to be treated yourself’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. They teach pupils to be trustworthy. Pupils respond positively to this and know how to behave well in different situations. They enjoy taking on responsibility and are keen to help around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are attentive in class and keen to learn. Those learning to read show a love of books. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well. However, the curriculum in a small number of subjects is not taught as precisely and effectively as it is in mathematics and English.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents say that their children feel safe and happy at school. Pupils report that occasionally, they do fall out, but this rarely escalates into a real problem. Most of the time, they resolve issues themselves. However, adults always support them if they need help.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils enjoying attend school clubs such as sports and art. They are given meaningful opportunities to take on responsibility. For example, school councillors worked with governors to shape the behaviour policy.

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better?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ learning. Considerable improvements have been made to the design of the curriculum. However, this work is not yet complete.

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better?

The English and mathematics curriculums are well designed and sequenced. This supports pupils to build their knowledge and skills securely over time. Leaders have set out the essential knowledge all pupils must learn. This enables teachers to know precisely what to teach and when. Teachers check pupils’ understanding to determine when they are ready to move on. For example, teachers use dictation to practise and assess previously taught phonemes and spellings. This is helping pupils in key stage 1 to become fluent writers.

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better?

Leaders see teaching pupils to read as key. They have made this area of the curriculum a priority. Children in the youngest classes get off to a strong start. In the Nursery, children develop a love of books through their class stories and their play. In Reception and Year 1, the sounds that pupils learn are set out in a carefully planned sequence. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to teach these sounds accurately. They routinely check pupils’ understanding and help them to improve their learning if they are not getting it right. Pupils read books matched to 21 and 22 February 2023

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their knowledge of sounds. They practise sufficiently to become fluent in their reading.

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In some subjects, the redesign of the curriculum is not yet complete. Where this is the case, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge that pupils need to know or when it should be learned. Nor have they implemented effective assessment systems. Where this is the case, leaders are not able to assess the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning, particularly of more complex concepts. Pupils do not build their knowledge as well through these subjects.

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Pupils with SEND learn the full curriculum alongside their peers. Staff working with these pupils know them well and make sure learning meets their needs. Leaders regularly review these pupils’ progress through the curriculum so that learning can be adapted appropriately.

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Leaders support pupils’ personal development well. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves physically healthy. For example, they know about the importance of diet, keeping hydrated and getting enough sleep. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. They know not to share sensitive information on the internet and how to protect themselves from negative experiences. Staff promote an understanding of fundamental British values. For example, the youngest children vote for their book of the day while older pupils elect representatives to the school council. This helps pupils to understand the concept of democracy.

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In the Nursery, children follow established routines and know how to use the well- organised environment. They show sustained concentration when playing. Adults’ prompts help them to build their ideas even further. This helps children to be curious and interested in the world around them.

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Governors evaluate the school’s strengths and set pertinent priorities for improvement. They work with leaders to plan change and prioritise resources to support this. Staff are proud to work at the school. They say that workload is a challenge but know leaders value their work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and governors have appropriate training. All understand the importance of their role in safeguarding children. Governors carry out appropriate checks on safeguarding practice. Staff are trained in spotting the signs of abuse. Leaders ensure that there are appropriate systems in place to report and record concerns. Concerns are reported in a timely manner. Leaders know when to escalate concerns to external agencies.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know to seek help from a trusted adult if they are worried or have a problem they need help with. They know that staff will listen to them and support them. 21 and 22 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the essential knowledge that all pupils should know and remember has not yet been identified. As a result, pupils do not always learn the most important knowledge. They do not build their knowledge and understanding well. Leaders need to identify the essential knowledge that pupils must know. They need to ensure this is sequenced effectively so that pupils know more and remember more in all subjects.  Systems for checking pupils’ understanding in the foundation subjects are not in place. As a result, leaders do not know how well pupils learn the most important knowledge in the curriculum. Leaders need to ensure assessment identifies what pupils know and what is not yet understood and remembered. Leaders need to use this information to adapt the curriculum to support pupils’ learning further.

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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. 21 and 22 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a small school. The number of children on roll is well below average.  The school runs a Nursery for children aged two to four years old.  The school has undergone significant changes in staffing since the last inspection.  The school runs a before-school club and after-school provision on site.  The school does not use any alternative provisions.  St Margaret’s School is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells.  This is a voluntary-aided Church of England school. The most recent section 48 inspection was in June 2015.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 21 and 22 February 2023

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 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, school leaders, other school staff, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  For the early reading deep dive, inspectors listened to pupils read to a familiar adult and visited early reading lessons delivered by teachers and teaching assistants.  Inspectors also reviewed curriculum planning and pupils’ work across other

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subjects in the curriculum.  Inspectors talked to pupils, staff and leaders about how the school supports the safety of pupils.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour when arriving at school, in lessons and during breaktimes. Inspectors met senior leaders and staff to discuss the school’s approach to behaviour management and how issues are responded to.  Inspectors reviewed and sampled leaders’ checks on the suitability of staff to work with children. They discussed with leaders attendance information, behaviour records, support plans for pupils with SEND and safeguarding records.  Inspectors considered responses in Ofsted Parent View and met with parents at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Gareth Simons, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Stewart Gale Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 February 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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