Kinlet CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kinlet C of E Primary School School Lane, Bewdley, Kinlet, Worcestershire DY12 3BG

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations for pupils have been raised since the arrival of the new headteacher and many new staff. All staff now have high ambitions for every pupil, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff work hard to help pupils to be the best they can be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are courteous, welcoming and friendly. They enjoy learning and coming to school. New leaders have quickly established warm and respectful relationships between adults and pupils. These are clearly evident throughout the school. Pupils’ behaviour is now improving. Pupils are confident that their teachers will deal with any issues and resolve them quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established a strong provision to enhance pupils’ personal development. Pupils benefit from an extensive range of activities that develop their personalities and further their interests. The activities include external visitors, trips, competitions and the ‘daily mile’. Here key stage 2 pupils take part every morning in running a mile around the field. This fosters a community feel and all pupils enjoy this daily event.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are currently in the process of establishing and embedding the school’s new motto of ‘Love to learn – Learn to love’.

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

Standards at the school have declined since the previous inspection. A new headteacher was appointed in January 2023. She has brought about the required urgency and determination to halt this decline since then. Leaders have, in a short space of time, made some marked changes that are beginning to show signs of improvement. The newly 4 May 2023 introduced curriculum is suitably broad and ambitious. It now provides pupils with learning opportunities in a wide range of subjects.

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

Leaders have so far focused on core curriculum subjects. They have identified clearly what they want pupils to learn and in what order. However, pupils have many gaps in their learning as a result of previous weak teaching and curriculum design. This is especially the case for older pupils. Leaders have quickly identified this, and work is well underway to address these gaps. Interventions and targeted support ensure that pupils are beginning to close these gaps. However, this detailed work has not yet happened in foundation subjects. Consequently, these subject plans are not as well developed as they should be.

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

Staff use assessments well to check on what pupils can do and what gaps in knowledge and skills persist. Teachers adapt their teaching to address any gaps. Pupils now receive work that is well matched to their needs and abilities. This includes pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils’ gaps in learning are narrowing.

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

Teaching generally supports the delivery of the new curriculum. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. However, some learning support staff do not have the same expertise and would benefit from opportunities to ensure they are fully able to deliver the new curriculum.

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

Reading is now a priority. Teaching of the new phonics scheme helps pupils to increase their reading fluency. This is generally effective, and most pupils are beginning to read at an age appropriate for them. However, some staff do not consistently deploy the most effective ways of teaching the new scheme in place. The lowest ability readers are well supported. Leaders have swiftly identified these pupils and put effective interventions in place to help them catch up. On the whole, pupils now enjoy reading and do so at home, which previously not many did. Pupils also now enjoy their daily reading sessions and story time.

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

Pupils’ behaviour is improving. When staff effectively manage pupils’ behaviour, they respond well and lessons are generally calm. A few pupils do need extra support with managing their behaviour. Some staff do not consistently apply the strategies in place to support these pupils. When this happens, lessons, especially in key stage 2, can be disrupted.

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

Children in the early years settle in quickly. Staff work hard to ensure that they become used to the daily routines. The curriculum in the early years is not as well as structured and developed as it could be. Leaders know this and have employed new staff who are currently developing a new curriculum.

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

Governors, the local authority and diocese have not been effective in identifying and addressing weaknesses in the past. The new headteacher is now leading two schools in the federation. This limits the headteacher’s capacity to ensure sustained improvements in the long term. Staff and parents are overwhelmingly supportive of new leaders and pleased with the changes at the school. 4 May 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Teachers are well trained and know what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil. They know their pupils well and use this information to ensure they are safe. Staff report any concerns to the safeguarding team.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding team works well together to ensure that pupils and families receive the help and support they need. Leaders work swiftly and effectively to ensure that pupils are kept safe, working with outside agencies when needed. Leaders make appropriate checks on anyone they employ and keep accurate records. They have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Governors, the local authority and diocese have not been effective in identifying and addressing shortcomings at the school swiftly enough. As a result, standards have declined considerably. Those responsible for governance and supporting the school should ensure that the headteacher has all the necessary support and resources to fulfil her substantial role in a sustainable way.  The curriculum in the early years and in foundation subjects does not clearly lay out the precise knowledge and essentials skills that pupils need to learn. As a result, learning is not as well sequenced, and staff are not always clear what they should teach and when. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects clearly identifies what knowledge and skills pupils should learn and in what order, ensuring that all pupils are well prepared for the next steps in education.  A few pupils require support to manage their behaviour. Not all staff consistently apply

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the strategies that are in place to deal with behaviour infringements. When this happens, lessons can be disrupted. Leaders should ensure that all staff regularly apply the behaviour policy so that pupils are supported, and learning is not disrupted.  Some staff do not have the subject knowledge or expert skills to deliver the new curriculum as effectively as they should. As a result, some teaching lacks precision. Leaders should make sure that all staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively deliver the new curriculum that is now in place.

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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 4 May 2023 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 school to be good in March 2018.

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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. 4 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10282696 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Philip Engleheart

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 March 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The executive headteacher was appointed to oversee the strategic leadership of this school in January 2023. She is now the substantive headteacher of this school and of Farlow C of E Primary School. Both schools form a federation.  Almost all staff at the school have recently been appointed.  The school does not use any alternative providers for its pupils.

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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 the executive headteacher. The lead inspector held a meeting with governors, including the chair of governors and the school’s adviser from the local authority. Meetings were held with curriculum leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject 4 May 2023 leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors visited the early years for each of the deep dives.  Inspectors listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour and interactions during lessons and at

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Information about this inspection

breaktimes and lunchtimes and spoke to many pupils during the inspection.  Inspectors spoke to staff, including support staff about safeguarding arrangements and scrutinised school documents relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors took account of the parent free-text comments and the responses on Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered the responses to the pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Bianka Zemke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Sims His Majesty’s Inspector 4 May 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.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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