Morville CofE (Controlled) Primary School

Inspection of Morville CofE (Controlled) Primary School Morville, Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV16 4RJ

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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 16 and 17 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Morville Primary is a friendly and welcoming school. Everyone does their best to follow the core values of respect, thoughtfulness, friendship, trust and perseverance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers appreciate the work of leaders and staff to create a nurturing environment in which their children feel safe and happy. Pupils work and play together very well. Older pupils help and support younger ones, for example as play leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They are polite, well mannered and listen to what others have to say. Pupils value the chance to move to ‘the calm table’ where adults help them to settle themselves if they feel anxious or upset.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a clear understanding of what bullying is. They say that it rarely happens because staff help them talk through any problems at an early stage.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. They enjoy meeting the high expectations that teachers have for their learning. For example, they work hard to be the ‘remarkable reader’ of the week.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff feel valued and well supported. Effective senior leaders inspire the staff’s commitment to working together for the benefit of all pupils.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. They have identified the important knowledge that pupils must know and remember. Consequently, teachers know what they should teach and when they should teach it.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They explain new ideas clearly to pupils. They use carefully crafted questions and regular quizzes to remind pupils of what they already know. Teachers check that pupils understand new learning. For example, every mathematics lesson begins with a recap of learning from earlier lessons. When teachers identify any misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ learning, they provide support in a timely way. This helps pupils to keep up.

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better?

Teachers plan exciting and engaging activities, so pupils enjoy learning. However, at times, in a few subjects such as geography and design and technology, completing tasks becomes the focus of lessons rather than the intended learning. For example, in a geography lesson, pupils were learning to locate different countries. They researched where different fruits were grown but could not find the countries on a map.

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better?

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Children begin to learn phonics from the beginning of Reception using books that are well matched to their phonic knowledge. Staff are very skilled at teaching reading. They know precisely which 16 and 17 May 2023

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sounds pupils should know and when they should learn them. They ensure any pupils who fall behind receive the support they need to catch up. Leaders ensure that pupils practise reading every day. This helps pupils to become fluent and confident readers.

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Leaders quickly identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff provide appropriate support to these pupils, so they can access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils know the difference between right and wrong and the importance of making responsible choices. Consequently, they behave well. During breaktimes, pupils enjoy being with their friends. As well as playing games or balancing on the ‘trim trail’, they value being able to chat or read quietly in the gazebo.

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Staff plan outdoor activities that develop pupils’ curiosity and imagination. During this inspection, for example, the youngest children explored the speeds at which objects floated along a pipe. Skilful questioning from an adult extended their thinking effectively.

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Pupils visit the local church for special services and use prayer areas in each classroom. They appreciate the beauty of the natural world and the importance of using its resources responsibly. For example, pupils built ‘mini greenhouses’ from recycled materials. The youngest children have planted sunflower seeds and know they need light and water to grow.

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Pupils learn about different cultures and lifestyles. They raise money for charities and collect donations for a local food bank. Visits from people of different faiths and trips to places of interest extend pupils’ understanding of life in Britain.

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Since joining the school, leaders have introduced new policies and practices. The head of school devised new curriculum plans and ensured staff received the training and support they needed to implement them. Leaders rightly plan to provide further training so more staff develop their knowledge and skills to lead subjects. Leaders are mindful of staff’s workload and well-being.

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Trustees hold leaders to account well. Members of the local academy board visit regularly. Consequently, they know the school well and have a clear view of its strengths and next steps.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure staff receive regular training so they quickly identify anyone who may be at risk. Staff know pupils well and report any concerns promptly. Leaders follow up on concerns diligently and take swift action. They work with other agencies so pupils and their families receive the help they need. Leaders make the necessary checks when recruiting staff. 16 and 17 May 2023

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and manage risk. They learn road safety and how to stay safe online. They know how to report their worries if someone behaves in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In this small school, the development of the curriculum has been led by the head of school. Currently, subject leadership by other staff is not developed as well as it could be. Leaders should now provide training and support for other staff. They should do this so staff develop the subject knowledge and leadership skills they need to lead the further development of a curriculum area.  In some foundation subjects, such as geography and design and technology, teachers sometimes concentrate too much on making activities engaging rather than focusing sharply on the key knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn and develop. Leaders should support teachers to focus more on the intended learning outcomes so that pupils know more and remember more in the long term.

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Headteacher Claire Gaskin (Executive Headteacher), Elizabeth Docherty (Head of School) Website www.morvilleschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 and 21 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current leaders of the school are employed by The Trinity Federation and provide leadership to Morville CofE Controlled Primary School under a service level agreement with the Diocese of Hereford Multi-Academy Trust.  The executive headteacher joined the school in April 2019. The head of school took up her post in April 2020. The director of SEND and inclusion joined the school in September 2019.  This Church of England (CofE)primary school is part of the Diocese of Hereford. A diocesan inspection to evaluate the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the school as a CofE school took place in June 2017. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the last section 48 inspection.  The trust directors manage the before- and after-school provision.  School leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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

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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 executive headteacher, the head of school and the director of SEND and inclusion.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the board of trustees and the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust.  The lead inspector also met with four members of the local academy board, including the chair, and held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and design and technology. To do this, inspectors discussed the curriculum with the head of school, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of

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pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to leaders about the curriculum and assessment in other subjects.  The lead inspector checked the work that the school does to keep pupils safe. She examined safeguarding records, including the single central record of recruitment checks on staff. She spoke about safeguarding with leaders. Inspectors checked staff’s knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes, lunchtime and during lessons. Inspectors also asked pupils about their views of the school.  Inspectors considered a range of information about the school, including documentation shared by school leaders or made available on the school’s website.  One inspector spoke with parents and carers as they brought their children to school. Inspectors also considered the responses, including the free-text

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comments, to Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Helen Morrison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Chris Ogden Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 May 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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