Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School Hawker Hill, Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire GL17 0BS

p.1

Outcome

Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is an inviting and happy place to be. The school’s motto of ‘achieve, believe, contribute’ is at the heart of everything the school does. There is a purposeful buzz of learning throughout the school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are wonderful ambassadors for the school. They understand the school’s expectations and behave impeccably. Pupils are friendly and polite.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide opportunities for pupils to shine. For example, Year 4 pupils enjoy performing in assembly. They confidently sing, dance and share what they have learned. The school provides pupils with exciting experiences. In forest school, pupils build dens, use tools and make willow sculptures. Pupils enjoy clubs such as theatrical dance.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are sensitive to pupils’ needs and form caring relationships with them. Pupils feel safe because they trust staff to look after them. Pupils confirm that bullying is rare and adults quickly sort out any problems. For example, pupils use ‘chatterbox’ to share worries with an adult.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are very happy with the school. Typical comments describe the school’s nurturing and caring environment.

p.1

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

Leaders and staff have high aspirations for pupils. Leaders have designed an ambitious, broad curriculum in most subjects. This is built around well-sequenced, rich learning experiences. Most pupils achieve well.

p.1

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

Leaders provide staff with appropriate training to improve their subject knowledge. Staff are proud to work at the school and appreciate leaders’ support of their workload and well-being. 22 and 23 March 2023 Staff inspire pupils to develop a love of reading. Children learn to read as soon as they start school. Phonics teaching is consistently strong. Leaders are currently developing the precision of assessment of pupils’ wider reading skills, such as comprehension, inference and prediction. Pupils who find it difficult to read are provided with extra help. This improves their confidence, accuracy and fluency. Pupils enjoy listening to texts that adults read to them, such as The Jungle Book.

p.1

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

The mathematics curriculum is well designed to enable pupils to develop secure knowledge and skills, including solving problems. ‘Maths meet’ sessions enable pupils to practise and consolidate their skills in mathematics. Pupils apply what they know to learn new facts. For instance, Year 6 pupils use their knowledge of times tables facts to calculate areas of irregular shapes.

p.2

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

In some subjects, such as history, leaders have redesigned the curriculum, so that pupils develop deeper knowledge. However, in these subjects, the curriculum is still being embedded and assessment is in the early stages of being refined. As a result, assessment does not yet precisely identify whether pupils securely develop the knowledge, skills and vocabulary leaders intend.

p.2

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

Pupils have consistently positive attitudes to learning. They understand that trying hard and making mistakes are important. Pupils are proud to be rewarded for being ‘Learning Dinosaurs’, such as ‘Tryatops’ or ‘Achievasaurus’ .

p.2

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

Pastoral support is strong. Leaders support pupils’ mental health well. They help pupils to recognise and manage their emotions appropriately. As a result, low-level disruption is rare.

p.2

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are provided with valuable extra pastoral and teaching support. Leaders work closely with parents and external advisers. Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND have sharply focused targets. Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as others and make good progress.

p.2

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

Pupils’ wider development is supported well. Leaders provide a range of opportunities for pupils to develop interests and learn about other cultures. Pupils are introduced to African drumming or archery. They visit the theatre and sing in concerts. Pupils learn about life in other countries. They learn to consider those less fortunate than themselves. For example, pupils raise funds for people in Ukraine. Pupils are proud to take on positions of responsibility, such as sports leaders and reading buddies.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Leaders carry out the necessary checks to ensure that all staff are safe to work with children. Leaders provide up-to-date training for all staff. Staff know how to report any concerns. 22 and 23 March 2023 Leaders and staff are vigilant. They make timely referrals to specialist agencies when they consider pupils to be at risk. Leaders maintain detailed records and regularly check the impact of their actions.

p.2

Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to stay safe. They appreciate visits from the police and fire brigade that reinforce their learning. Pupils also learn about internet safety and drug awareness.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 I n subjects where leaders have improved the curriculum, they are still refining assessment. This means that, in these subjects, assessment does not yet precisely identify whether pupils securely develop the knowledge, skills and vocabulary leaders expect them to. Leaders must sharpen assessment so that they can swiftly identify when there are gaps in pupils’ learning, and adapt the curriculum accordingly so that pupils are well prepared for the next steps in their learning.

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2012.

p.3

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.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 22 and 23 March 2023 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. 22 and 23 March 2023

p.3

School details

Inspection number 10241447 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Elizabeth Watton

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 13 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in 2020, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began.  The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) was appointed in December 2022.  The school is a Church of England school. Its last SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) was carried out in 2017.  The school provides before- and after- school care for pupils.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

p.5

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 leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held several meetings with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. They also met with the SENCo, the early years leader and the pastoral leader. 22 and 23 March 2023  The inspector held a meeting with a group of governors, which included the chair and vice-chair. They also had a phone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, they 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.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding records and checked the school’s

p.5

Information about this inspection

single central record. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with the designated safeguarding leader. The inspector also spoke to pupils and adults about safety.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at various times of the day, including during breakfast club, breaktime and lunchtime.  The inspector spoke to pupils, staff and parents to gather their views. They reviewed 51 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, along with free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the staff and pupil survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Catherine Beeks, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 March 2023 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.6

Inspection team

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

Inspection team

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

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7