East Harptree Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: East Harptree Church of England Primary School Church Lane, East Harptree, Bristol, Somerset BS40 6BD

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Outcome

East Harptree Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this inclusive and welcoming school. They understand how the school’s values of aspiration, dignity, wisdom and community help them to be kind and understanding of others. Pupils of all ages learn well together. They are well looked after and feel safe. Pupils appreciate all that staff do for them. Many parents share this view. They speak positively about the school’s curriculum and the role the school plays in the local community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of what all pupils can achieve. Pupils behave positively in lessons and around the school. As a result, the environment is calm and orderly. Pupils know the difference between bullying and falling out with friends. They say that bullying is rare. If it happens, pupils are confident that adults would deal with it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their roles as school councillors. They enjoy taking part in a range of clubs and wider opportunities, such as sports, music, languages and trips linked to the curriculum. Pupils say that these experiences help them to learn new things.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. Children learn to read as soon as they start school. Reading books which match the sounds they are learning helps them to gain confidence. Pupils remember sounds well because teachers revisit important learning. Staff identify and support pupils who struggle with reading. As a result, pupils quickly catch up. The strong focus on reading continues for older pupils. Leaders ensure that staff inspire pupils to read for pleasure by introducing them to a range of texts and authors, such as ‘Adolphus Tips’ and ‘The Firework Maker’s Daughter.’

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

In the curriculum, leaders have thought through carefully the key knowledge and vocabulary that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or 8 February 2023

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disabilities (SEND) will learn. For example, in mathematics, learning is broken down into small steps. Children and pupils in the early years and key stage 1 use their knowledge of numbers and place value well to solve problems. Teachers challenge older pupils to apply this knowledge to solve more-complex problems.

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However, in some wider curriculum subjects, the checks that leaders and teachers make on how pupils learn the curriculum are not yet fully developed. They do not adapt the curriculum quickly to meet the needs of pupils. Leaders do not routinely understand what pupils know and need to know next. This hinders their learning.

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Pupils enjoy the learning experiences that the school offers. They have positive attitudes towards their learning. As a result, they routinely apply themselves and concentrate well in lessons. In the early years, children settle quickly. Staff have clear expectations for how children should behave. They ask purposeful questions about their learning. Consequently, children develop their language and vocabulary skills well.

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Staff ensure pupils with SEND benefit from the school’s inclusive ethos. They understand pupils with the most complex needs well. Staff provide timely and effective support to enable these pupils to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Leaders’ support for pupils’ wider development is effective. Pupils know the difference between right and wrong. They understand, and are tolerant of, other cultures and faiths. Pupils learn about mental and physical health and what makes a positive relationship.

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Governors, including those from the trust, are knowledgeable about the school’s work. They hold leaders to account for their actions by asking challenging questions. They know what is going well and what needs further improvement. Leaders, including governors, understand the pressures that staff face and are considerate of their workload. Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the partnership they have with another local school and the training they receive. Staff unanimously agree that leaders support them to do their jobs well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure there are effective systems in place to prioritise pupils’ safety. All staff, including governors, receive high-quality training. Staff know the actions to take if they identify any concerns, and the procedure to follow. Leaders act swiftly to offer support to families in need of help.

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Safeguarding

Governors and trust leaders regularly check the effectiveness of the school’s work, including procedures for the safe recruitment of staff.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn to keep themselves safe and know how to stay safe online. They understand the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle. 8 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, teachers’ checks on what pupils know and understand are still developing. As a result, subject leaders do not have a clear understanding of how well pupils are learning the curriculum. Leaders should check what pupils know and remember in their subjects and use this information to inform future learning.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, East Harptree Church of England VC Primary School, to be good in May 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.

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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. 8 February 2023

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School details

Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council

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School details

Inspection number 10268504 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 East Harptree Church of England Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in January 2019. When its predecessor school, East Harptree Church of England VC Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Lighthouse Schools Partnership, a multi-academy trust of 29 schools in Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset.  The school works in partnership with another local school.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors met with school leaders, including the headteacher, deputy headteacher and subject leaders. Inspectors also met with the special educational needs coordinator and with representatives of the local governing body and the trust. 8 February 2023

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n Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  Inspectors listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central record of recruitment checks on staff.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Richard Vaughan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Faye Bertham Ofsted Inspector 8 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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